The Perfect Couple Part 1
by CheeseRocker
Summary: Meet Maria and Alex. 'The Perfect Couple'. After two weeks of dating they’re already pregnant with their first child. Suddenly a sarcastic sprite tells them that they’re forced to become immortal, and soon, Gods. Suddenly it's all not so perfect anymore..
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Maria had only met Alex last week. She was at the shops with her mates, just looking around. They met up round McDonalds and were about to leave and to the high street when her friend Kelly whispered in her ear 'Hey, that boy's checking you out." She glanced at him then looked back at Kelly.

"Don't be daft." She giggled.

"No it's _true_." Put in her other mate, Rose. "Go say hi."

"No way – I've haven't got any chance. He's probably interested in you."

Rose was drop dead gorgeous. She had a figure to die for, which everyone thought was way unfair, seeing that she survived on 4 Mars Bars a day.

"No, he's looking again." Mumbled Kelly

"Don't make go through this." Begged Maria

"Wait. He's coming over . . ." muttered Kelly

He came up to her table. Maria looked up into his soft brown eyes. Then feeling stupid again, she started staring at her chicken burger as if the chicken was still alive and it could fly her away to safety from the evil stranger that had suddenly appeared in it's pen. She was almost tempted to start making a little home for the chicken out of piles of chips but she figured that this was not exactly the right thing to do at this moment in time.

Maria felt a sharp pain in her shin. "What...?" she murmured dreamily. Rose and Kelly giggled.

"No, I was saying," he gazed at Maria's friends for a moment " Do your mates usually do this _every_ time a guy comes up to you."

"I can't say. This is the first time it's happened." Maria replied.

"To a girl like you?" he said plainly. She loved the way he said it so matter of fact.

Rose and Kelly were practically rolling on the floor. Maria kicked them both under the table. Hard. "Will you two just shut up?" she groaned. Why were they being like this? Rose got asked out all the time and she usually ended up going round some park with a group of boys every time they went out. Usually these boys were the type that spent more time looking at her cleavage then at her actual face.

He waited for some time then said, "Maybe we could go somewhere."

Kelly smiled and whispered to Rose "Somewhere private."

"Ooh!" she replied like some five-year-old.

"I'm going," Maria, said to them "If my parents ask, I'm still in the shops." There was no point even saying that to them now. Oh well, Maria thought, let them. They'll have to get used to the fact that we aren't little tots anymore. She smiled up at the boy, "Sure, I'm for it."

They left the shop, Maria still smiling, the boy smiling back.

Kelly glanced at Rose. "Shouldn't we go after her and stop her?"

"She'll be fine. I usually am." Replied Rose

"What about that time when that boy went and . . ."

Rose cut her off. " That was just the once. He was right perve anyway."

"Oh . . . " Kelly thought back to last time she had been on her own with a boy. She thought of the cinema, popcorn, wet lips pressed against hers, sticky fingers reaching down her top . . . some memories you just want to forget. She never said anything to Maria or Rose. She would never live it down. " . . . I guess she'll be fine. She knows how far to go and when to stop."

They both never thought much about it again for the rest of the day.

Maria wondered where he was leading her. She felt like a limp screw, forced to run after the magnet then never stopped pulling her in. Soon the magnet reached out and held her hand, her hands small in his. They swapped names, found they liked the same music, and hated hot days. "I want to say pale," Maria said, "I thought that the sun frizzled up your skin anyway." He laughed, stroking her hand like a cat. Maria purred with pleasure. It was perfect, she thought, we've got so much in common.

She was oblivious to where he was leading her. She soon found herself sitting down. She looked up. A sign above her read Bus Stop and the usual junk beneath it. Where the hell were they going? But what did it matter? She was with Alex - nothing could go wrong. She leant her head on his chest and he pulled her in close, despite the wolf whistles and glowers from an old lady with a walking stick. After ten minutes a bus rolled along and stopped. "Is this ours?" she whispered. He smiled and nodded. She was reassured. It was funny how he could do that so easily.

The old lady got up and began muttering when Maria and Alex followed suit. Snatches of "Unsuitable … at their age … we would have never of gotten away with it, mark my words!" could be heard. They ignored her. Nothing could burst Maria's happy bubble. They queued for a moment. Maria pulled her hand out her pocket and felt for her bag. She reached for the first compartment. Her purse wasn't there. She tried everywhere else. The purse couldn't be found.

"Oh bum, I've left my purse at McDonalds." She exclaimed.

"Doesn't matter." Alex said.

Maria was reassured again. How did he do that?

She heard him talk to the driver, flashing a bus pass then handing over money.

She was led again to the back of the bus, where they resumed the 'leaning on the chest' position. They both glanced at each other as the old woman walked passed them then burst out laughing. She tutted very loudly but only drew attention to her. They didn't speak during the small journey. Just sitting there, in each other's company was enough. But Maria's mind began to wake up. He's a stranger, she thought, I've never met him before. What have I got myself into? I don't even know where I am!

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Not sure," he said honestly. "Probably somewhere nice."

"D'you wanna get off next stop?"

"Sure."

That's all right isn't it? Maria thought. If he starts going funny on me I can always run away and call Rose and Kelly to get me. Perfectly safe. Somehow she didn't feel like being safe. It was worth the risk to see the first ever boy who was interested in her. So when the bus stopped, it was easy to follow him like before. Only this time I've woken up, Maria thought. This is real life and if anything happens I can't just wake up and step out of it like in a dream and it will all be fine. She tried to keep this thought in mind. But it kept appearing and disappearing like a rabbit in a magicians trick. Usually the rabbit disappears after a while - at least until the end of the show. But by then it might be too late . . . oh no, Maria thought, I've got to be sensible. But her body was going against every sensible thought in her mind. He led her down an alley. Screw the run plan then, Maria's mind said.

"Where the fuck are we going?" she exclaimed, suddenly aggressive.

"Shhh." He said, trying the reassuring trick again. It worked.

Nobody was about. Anything that was alive to see were a few fleabag cats and a seagull or two circling ahead. And some of the older cats were blind. Nobody walked past the entrance of the alley. So he took his chances.

Maria forgot most things after that. It happened so quickly. He pushed her up against the wall in the alleyway, his hands playing walkabouts all over her body. She thought about it for a minute, playing along, and then thought, what is happening here? She was quick to push him off.

"What the hell are you playing at?" she nagged. "I don't know what idea you had about me but I'm not that type of girl. I thought you were so sweet, paying for my bus fare, taking me about with you. I got it wrong."

"Please." He begged.

"No." she said firmly. "I'll give you my number if you ever change. But until then, no way!"

She found a scrunched up receipt in her bag and scribbled down her mobile number. She threw it on the floor.

"At least let me do the decent thing and take you home."

Maria weakened. "Fine."

She walked ahead with her head up high. She thought of Kelly and Rose. She sent Kelly a text: Could you meet me by the bus stop outside the shops? Don't ask. She waited for a minute or so. A reply came instantly when they were queuing for the bus. "Sure. What happened? Rose won't stop bugging me, she thinks I'm hiding it from her."

Maria waited for a moment after the queue until they reached seats. She sat down, spreading out herself and bag on the two chairs with a look on her face saying, 'You're no better than shit to me'. Alex got the message and dragged passed. She sent Rose a text. "You seriously don't want to know what's happened. I'm not joking. I'll tell you the minute I get away from it." Rose knew what she was on about. "Was it really that bad?" She paused, as if she was still making up her mind. She chewed her lip for a second. There was only one answer for it. "No, actually it wasn't. Leave it now you two, don't worry about meeting me. I can get home by myself." She risked a little smile to herself. Let him sweat it out for the bus ride, she thought, and then play it sweet when my stop comes. Rose quickly replied in two seconds "This is a massive mistake. Be careful." The little smile grew ever so slightly bigger. She pushed Rose's annoying thought, "This is a massive mistake" to the back of her mind. Maria quite liked this rebelling thing. The stop came and they both got up. She let Alex go out first, pretending to find something in her bag. Then she strolled out following Alex.

It was his turn to ask questions. "What are you doing?" Maria just laughed and clung on to his arm, pulling him to a nearby park. She pushed him to a tree, still laughing and smiling. It wasn't the sunniest day in the world. Not many people were about. She pressed her lips against his. They both immediately relaxed. After a few minutes, she sprung away.

"Call me." She smiled. Maria ran away, leaving him there, a smile on his face mirroring the one she was wearing.

"Oh God Maria, you are one! What did you do next?" Kelly laughed at school lunch

"What do you think I did? I left him to wait for a bit, then the minute we got off the bus, I led him to the park, next to that big old oak." Maria said as a crowd began to form.

"Oooh!" Chorused the girls around her.

"Not _that _old oak?" one put in

"You bet!" Maria giggled.

"Then what?" asked Rose, smiling at her friends new found bliss. "Did you snog?"

Maria said, looking away.

Kelly laughed. "Then what?"

"I left him there. I just said call me and skipped off." She replied.

"Whoa, I bet he didn't know what to say!" said one of the girls

"I guess I left him a bit breathless, yes." smiled Maria

"Did he call you?" Rose asked.

"I bet he didn't!"

"Actually he texted me about an hour later."

"Saying..." asked Kelly

"Saying that he really wanted to see me again soon."

"Then?"

"He called that night." Maria answered

"And that's it?"

"Mostly."

"Remember to tell us more!" said one of the girls as the crowd thinned as quickly as it had come.

"If you really wanna hear, sure. Bye!" said Maria after hearing the bell.

It was then the end of school lunch. Probably the second best part of the day. The first being the going home. 2 more periods left. Why do they call it that? Note to self, thought Maria, always call periods 'classes' from now on.

She wondered down to the locker room with Steph. She was saying something.

"What was that?" Maria asked.

"Doesn't matter. You were way deep in thought then. Easy to guess what about!" Steph giggled.

"No, I was thinking about periods." She saw the look on Steph's face. "Not _that_ sort, the class sort. Never mind. What have we got?"

"Double science." She said looking for her penciel case.

"Yay." Maria said sarcastically.

She went to her locker, pulling out her key. Steph stopped her search.

"Maria…" Steph began. "Do you, like, really like this Alex?"

"It's hard. I do like him. But love him? Well, I'm not sure. Whenever he meets me from school he says really sweet things. But the minute we're alone all it is, is…just kisses. I haven't thought about it before. Not like that." She slammed her locker shut. "Crap. How come mine is the only locker buggered up?"

"We'd better go. The bell went ages ago."

"Okay. So. You've asked me. What about this Tom of yours?

**Chapter 2**

"The results for the food testing were very negative. I found that ALL the four different types of food were fatty and unhealthy – even a raw carrot stick had 0.2 grams of fat." Maria paused, convinced she had missed something out of her science homework. What was it again? She thought, yes, that's right - write one paragraph explaining the scientific experiment done in class today. She took up her pen and tried again. "The results of the science experiment completed in class today are very varied and need to either be done again or averaged. We were trying to discover which food has the most fat out of raw carrot sticks, celery, cress, and boiled baby potatoes. The baby potatoes had most fat at 1.2 grams per potato and the celery came in second with 0.8. The cress was hard to test but still seems to be third, and fourth (being most healthy) is the raw carrot sticks with a tiny 0.2." That'll do, she thought, I've got more important things to sort out anyway.

So she shoved her exercise book into her school bag and decided what was the next best thing to. One thing stuck in her mind the most. Two words flashed inside her mind like luminous signs you see in those films about Las Vegas. Only those signs said 'Lodge Here' or 'Big Money'. The sign inside her head said 'EMAIL BOYFRIEND'. She smiled cheekily. She should do her homework. She knew she should. And that paragraph for her science was crap. She also knew that if she put her mind to it, she could come up with a very detailed paragraph. Then Maria remembered something she had read in a book. It was simple but it held such a strong message that she had hung onto it with a tenacious grip. All it had said was, 'Stick to what you're good at but have some fun time. In other words, who gives a shit about all that crap school gives you. Live your life to the full – do what you want to do, be who you want to be. Break a few rules if you need to. Rules were made for breaking – they stop you having fun.' She lived by that ever since she started secondary school. And it had done her good. It was worth all those detentions just for that suspense before you did something you know you shouldn't.

Instead of doing her homework like a good little girl she got up from the kitchen table and made for the door.

"Finished already pet?" asked her Dad.

"Yes," she lied "It was very easy."

"Good, good. Wait a minute, I just want to tell you something, Maria."

"Yes Dad?" she said innocently

"You've got so much going for you. Don't waste it." Maria looked away uncomfortably. "Will you promise me to do your best at school?"

"Dad! You make me feel about five!" she joked

"Still," her Dad continued, "You do promise me don't you?"

"Yes Dad. Of course!" Maria sweetly smiled.

"Good, good." He repeated, "Run along now."

Maria pegged it out of the kitchen and dropped her bag on the hall floor. "Lying is so easy!" she muttered. She went to the lounge to go to the computer. Her little brother was sitting there, playing on his stupid 'Count the Cats' game.

"One . . . ermm . . .. two . . four . . . six . . . .nine! Nine cats! Is that right Maria?" Queried her little brother.

"Yes, I think so." She answered

"Are you sure?"

"Yes"

"If you're wrong, one of the cats loses its bow tie. You only get three bow ties!"

"Yes I'm sure. No wait! It's err ...six! That's right! Click on six!"

Her brother did so and a ginger cat ran to the front of the screen. Some sad music played in the background and the cartoon cat said in a jolly voice "I'm sorry little 'un! Look! There are _five_ cats. One, two, three, four, five! But it's all right! You can have another go! But I'm sorry to say, you've lost one bow tie!" Another cat ran forward and the ginger one took off its bow tie. Then the screen went back to the counting game.

"Hey! You lied!" shouted her brother

"I'm sorry," she smiled sweetly "I just must have counted wrong. We all make mistakes every now and then."

"No! You knew it was wrong!" he screamed

"Billy! Quit that shouting! Go to your room!" yelled her Mum from somewhere upstairs

He sulkily walked to the door. As he got there he turned around and glared at Maria. "Hate you." He whispered

"Well," she quietly called after him, " I hate you too." They glared at each other for a minute or so then he left the room, dragging his feet.

Maria felt bad for moment. She didn't really like doing that. But it got her the computer didn't it? Any traces of guilt washed away instantly. She closed the cat game and clicked on the best icon in the whole computer - the internet explorer. She went to email and went to her inbox. About ten messages had arrived. She looked at who they were from. "Let's see," she whispered "Kelly, Christine, Steph, Rose, please say he's emailed me, please say Alex has emailed me!" She arrived at the last message received. It flashed Alex and was in bold red. "Urgent. What's so urgent?" she muttered. She then knew why. Hey, he wrote, it's me. Sorry, I haven't emailed you for a while, I haven't gone off you, not one bit, you're so hot! Anyway, I just got to know, are you free this Saturday night? Please email back, love you forever, Alex. Maria's hands were shaking. She was used to him flirting it was just the 'are you free on Saturday night' bit that made her scared. She looked when he had sent the email. The words, 3/9/06 21:06 came up. That was only two or three minutes ago. She quickly clicked the reply button. Hi, she began, yes, I'm free this Saturday night. Why do you want to know? I'm right bored here. Then she clicked send. What she had really wanted to ask is are you asking me out on a date? Still, she didn't, she couldn't be that direct in this relationship. Seconds later came a pop up saying new message received. She clicked read. It was Alex. 'Good, it's just, I've heard about this new movie and I thought it would be nice to go with you.' Her hands grabbed for the mouse, frantically clicking reply. Seconds later she had typed up a message. 'Wow, I so wanna go. Tell me what movie it is, that sort of crap!' He replied almost as instantly as Maria. 'It's that new horror one out. You know, it's called 'I slept with a corpse, now it won't leave me'. It's an eighteen but I'm kinda tall and you must have some heels somewhere. It starts at 9pm. Can you come?' 'Yes!' she replied 'Of course I'll come. I love a good horror. It'll be tricky getting round my parents, but can't I just say I've got a sleepover with my mates and stay with you?'. The pop up came up again. 'Sure. My parents are away for the weekend to France and they'll come back on Sunday night. We'll have the whole house to ourselves.' Reply she clicked. 'Shall I get the bus over to your place or what?' 'No,' Alex answered 'That's wrong, I'll pick you up.' 'Ok. Are you sure?' she replied. 'I'm sure.' He said 'I've got a new car now. The old one broke down a few days ago and it'll be more expensive to fix it then to get a new one. I talked to my parents about it and they gave in. It'll come tomorrow. We'll be the hottest date there!' Maria clicked reply 'Other people are going? Won't they notice our age?' 'They might but isn't it dark in the cinema?' he replied. 'Yes, I guess so.' She answered 'I love you so much.' Alex replied. Maria blushed a deep crimson. 'I love you too.' She wrote, changing the text colour to pink. 'I've got to go now.' He replied 'Ok' Maria said. 'Love you.' He said. It was almost as if he was right next to her. 'Love you too. x x x' she wrote. 'I'll phone you tomorrow ok?' Alex replied. 'Sure.' She said 'Bye.' 'Bye.' And then he went. Maria swivelled around on the chair feeling giddy. "I'm going on a date with Alex!" she whispered.

She shoved the grey office chair into the computer desk, and floated into the hallway and up the stairs. She was happy enough to even go into Billy's room. Maria didn't knock. She bounced in. Billy opened his mouth to shout but she stopped him.

"Geroff!" he yelled, muffled.

"Nope!" she smiled and tickled him. Maria didn't stop smiling even when his clumpy school shoes started kicking. She grabbed them and Billy got up off the floor, Lego scattered around him. In a flash, Maria grabbed a toy dog and made him walk on the carpet.

"Hello!" she said in a squeaky voice, pretending to be the dog. "Your big sister has told me to tell you she's sorry for getting you into trouble. She's got you something too, but she won't say what it is!"

He giggled. "Why are you being so nice?"

Because of Alex, Maria thought. "Why not?" she replied though, changing back to her normal voice. "Here you go." She tossed him a chocolate bar from out her pocket. "Mum says you can't have many sweets a day. I say, so what?"

Billy looked at her, gawping.

"Look dude, just eat it and don't mention it to Mum and Dad. My treat, eh?"

He nodded, still amazed. "Why are you being so nice?" he repeated.

"Tomorrow I'll be extra nasty." She said baring her teeth. He giggled, unsure. She smiled. "Bye bro!" and bounced back out the room.

"Mum!" she called. "Can I have the bathroom?"

"Sure hun!" she replied, somewhere near.

Maria turned on the shower and took off her clothes and stepped in. The water was warm and bubbly, tumbling over her shoulders. She hummed a bit, her mind blank. Suddenly a certain somebody invaded it. Maria shut off the shower quickly. I've known him for a week and I'm already thinking about things, thought Maria.

She got out the shower and thought about an early night. But beds were just as bad. She banged her head with her fist. Stop fucking thinking about sex! she screamed at herself. She shoved her body into a nighty. She wanted to keep her mind busy. So she crept downstairs.

"Can I call Rose?" she asked her Dad.

"Of course."

Maria grabbed the phone and went back to her bedroom. But she didn't push Rose's number. She dialled Alex. The phone rang on the other end 3 times, 4, 5, she was about to hang up, when someone answered.

"Hello?" they asked

"Hi."

"Who's this?"

"Maria. Erm, is Alex there?"

"We don't have an Alex here."

"Oops. Sorry. Wrong number."

Maria hung up.

That was the right number! She tried again. This time the phone was picked up straight away.

"Hey." Said someone. That voice was a tonne more familiar.

"Hi it's Maria."

"Did you just call a minute ago?

"Yeah. Some weirdo said it was the wrong number."

"That would be my little sister." Alex's voice went quieter, his mouth away from the phone. "I am so going to kill you." He muttered. A girl giggled in an incredibly high-pitched voice.

"That sounds like what my little brother would do. I'll murder him one day."

"Try having a sister. Twice as bad."

"Is it still ok for me to come round?"

"Yes. The brat back here's going to a giggly sleepover. We'll definitely be on our own."

"Thank God. Imagine having your sister running around until 2am."

"I know." He sighed.

"Family life getting you down?"

"Sometimes. Than I think of you and it all goes away."

Maria turned ruby red. "That happens to me too." She said finally.

"How's school?"

"Crap. As always."

"Sometimes I can't take it all. I bunk downtown with my mates. When I get my school report, attendance will probably be about 22."

"I've seen people do that at my school. They're always that much stricter at grammar schools. I should have pulled a sicky on my 11+ day."

"You could have come to my school. Mind, all the girls are slag's here."

"It wouldn't have mattered. I've always preferred boys to girls. At Juniors I was just a tomboy. All the girls were all wiggly and giggly. I hated them."

"That sounds like what boys would say."

"Great. I'm an un-official He-She." Maria giggled.

"Not like tat." He laughed

"Your sis still there?"

"Yeah. She's just colouring in some colouring book."

"How come little squirts never have a life?

"Beats me. They never really think about I , I suppose."

"I guess."

"Maria," she heard him swallow at the other end. "You know I love you, don't you?"

"Course. I love you too."

"You don't sound very sure."

"Oh Alex. How am I meant to use 3 little words? They're just not enough."

"There is one way."

"I figured that out. I could always show you."

**Chapter 3**

The wardrobe opened again. There wasn't much left in it. Most clothes were scrunched up on the floor. Maria stood in front of her bedroom mirror. She had tight jeans on and a black lace top. Suddenly she flipped them all off and reached her comfy jeans and a black t-shirt. It was too casual. So she tried her black silk dress on with the slit up the back. Way too dressy. Maria tried the light pink skirt and white top. Too babyish. She put back on her tight jeans and found an old black top that showed a bit of cleavage and stomach. She'd had it a few years and it used to be so lifeless and baggy. Now she had filled out, it looked how it was supposed to look. Shy but sexy. Maria liked that kind of style.

She smiled at herself in the mirror then glanced at her watch. The digits 7:31 came. Half an hour until the big date. Not enough time. And she had to walk to the end of the road. Maria couldn't risk her parents seeing Alex drive up outside. It had to be this way. No point thinking about that though. What was next?

Make-up, she thought. Not too heavy, don't want it smudged but not too light, it might look like your not trying. She' read that somewhere, probably a magazine. There was this look she'd tried out. But it was a complete change from her normal style. She checked her watch. 7:36. Oh help! thought Maria, just go with that look! She put on a light bit of foundation on each cheek and put a bronzy plum lip-gloss on. She dusted her eyelids with peach eye shadow and outlined her eyes thinly in dark brown eyeliner and put on jet-black mascara. It was the best she could do. Maria only had a sad collection of freebie lip-gloss and her Mum's old eyeliner. How could that sad little bunch inspire a make-up artist?

Maria left her hair though. It was the one part of her body she thought was okay. Sometimes she had even got the odd compliment on it. It was nothing special. Her hair was jet-black a really deep shade and hung down to her shoulders. I had a cute curl to it too, not springy, a kind of flick thing. Maria always made sure it stayed soft and fluffy. Not even a starving monkey would find a nit near her and grease was permanently banned.

In a last desperate rush, Maria threw a few clothes into a bag. She checked her watch again. 7:53.

"I can't keep him waiting." She muttered as she put on her sleek black high-heeled boots. She tore downstairs, almost tripping over.

"I'm going now, Dad. I'll ring you tomorrow!" Maria gasped.

She checked her watch one last time. 7:57. I should _not _have looked at the time, she thought, thank God it's a fairly short road. Maria stepped outside into the cold. It was starting to get dark. The flowers and hedges had a silvery glow and dark shadows stretching behind them. It was quite a sight if you took the time to look. Maria barely glanced at them. Tearing down the garden pathway, her mind only had one thought: get to he end of the road _now_.

She legged it halfway and stopped, out of breath. Just walk it, she told herself. So that's what she did. No one had arrived yet. So she sat on the garden wall, gazing at the moon. It was at it's ugliest. It was chopped down the middle like a capital D. it wasn't a pale yellow or eerie blue. It was white and covered by dark blue clouds. Not the most romantic of moons. Still, it might be the best moon and light of my life, thought Maria. It's got to be 8 now.

She heard footsteps behind her. She turned around, her hair blown around her face like a natural veil. She recognised the tall frame.

"Alex." She whispered.

"Hey babe, sorry I'm late."

"You're not at all." She said kissing him affectionately on the cheek.

"Maria," he reasoned. "It's 8:20."

"And I've been sitting here moon gazing." sighed Maria.

"I would have got here quicker. My mates smashed up my car. You know, that new one."

"Oh God," she said, standing up to face him. "No one was hurt, right?"

"No. It was just…my car. I'm so dead. It wasn't amazing. But it wasn't insured. My parents were going to soon. There's no point now." He breathed heavily.

"Don' worry. You can just kinda, forget for tonight. Maybe it'll be alright tomorrow."

"Always the optimist." He smiled.

"C'mon. Let's go." She said gently.

It was really dark now It was only autumn, yet there only seemed to be 4 hours of daylight. They walked together and soon they moved and held hands. Maria stroked his hand with her thumb, suggestively. He put his hand around her waist. After walking for 20 minutes, they arrived at the cinema. There were several couples milling around, smiling, and kissing. They both went inside.

Maria remembered it from when she was little. The minute she got in there she had always ran to the popcorn stand, demanding her own little bucket. Back then; the front had always seemed intimidating with its large empty spaces, colourful adverts and flashing lights. Now it seemed warm and exciting.

"You got tickets?" she asked

"Yes, I got them ages ago."

There was quite a queue to get into the cinema. They joined up. People started to look them both up and down. One girl winked at Alex saucily. Maria glared at her. She looked away hurriedly.

The queue went down a bit. Soon the guy checking the tickets came to them.

"Get outta here." He growled.

"No way." Alex answered calmly. "We've paid."

"You're both obviously way underage. That gal there's not a day over 12 and as for you…"

He never finished. Maria slapped him hard and drove her knee up hard where it hurts.

"Maybe you want to think about the occurrences after you've insulted someone." Maria hissed, "You didn't even ask for ID."

"Peg it." She whispered to Alex.

Without looking back she ran past everyone and out the door. Several boys wolf whistled.

"Fuck off." She muttered darkly.

She checked Alex was following and saw the ticket guy drop to the floor howling.

"Run to your house with me." She gasped to Alex as several security guards appeared.

"Oh shit." he muttered.

Maria's best sport was definitely not running. But she kept up all right. Maybe every sports lesson she should get security guards to chase her in running activities. Wait that would be too scary.

After 5 roads or so the guards gave up. Alex and Maria slowed down and caught their breath. Maria was still fuming.

"God girl, planning to give me a workout?" he laughed

She stopped gritting her teeth and giggled too.

"Oh well, back to my place." he smiled. They both started walking. " I never knew you had it in you."

"Neither did I until then." She replied.

"Assaulting local. That's not gonna look good in your criminal record."

"Yeah, great start." She answered sarcastically. "I've never done anything too bad. Not getting the police involved, at any rate."

"Welcome to my world." Alex replied.

"What do you mean?" she said looking up sharply.

"Basically, you won't find me prancing around with a halo on my head."

"You'd probably enjoy setting fire to Heavens Gate and stabbing Saint Peter with a pitchfork." Maria finished.

"Yes. Don't think bad of me. It's only a bit of fun and I've never got anyone hurt."

"No, I get what you mean. Maybe it's time I lived on the wild side. "

"'Atta girl."

Maria kept on walking, not saying anything. What was I thinking? she thought. What happened to the good Maria, the one that got her homework in on time, didn't argue with her parents and stayed permanently single? I guess I'm growing up. I used to think I would have a decent job, a fair husband, and maybe a cute little kid. I can't live like that. Not with Alex. Not with the new generation. She let out a small sigh.

"What's up? You're so quiet."

"Nothing." She answered, cuddling up to him. "Just thinking about when I was kid."

But her thoughts changed again. What was his parent's house like? Was it just an average home, like hers, or something else? I never really think about houses, thought Maria, not properly. What if I just stand there, gawping like a div? God, no. Maybe, just, don't worry about it. Concentrate on Alex. No I can't. Wait a sec; how come new houses suddenly seem more frightening? It's not the house. It's what you do _inside_ the house. Her heart started pumping faster. Nothing will happen tonight, she thought, just a few harmless kisses - I'm not stupid. Then how come he seemed so enthusiastic when I mention sleeping 'round? Sleeping 'round, sleeping 'round, the thought echoing inside her head.

They reached the front door, Maria staring at the perfect shaped hedges and flowers so beautiful they seemed almost plastic.

"You're parents gardeners?" she asked.

"Don't mention that word. My parents run around everyday with a little green watering can. They tried to get me started. Big mistake."

"Nowhere near as bad as mine. Books. Living and breathing books. No wonder all my mates call my Dad a walking dictionary."

"Parents, eh?" he said, opening the front door.

People always say to never go by first impressions. Maria would always correct anyone from now on if they ever said it. The walls of the hallway were pearly white and there was no mess in sight. There was a thick, shaggy carpet and black wooden furniture.

"It's immaculate." Maria gasped, staring around.

"It does this to everyone. I hate it. It's downright freaky." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh God, look at the mess my shoes are making." She said, looking at the muddy trail.

"It doesn't matter. Really." he reassured her. "This place needs a bit of dirt anyway."

Maria showed herself into the living room.

"Hey! Signs of civilisation." She said looking at the little wooden blocks on the floor.

"Evidence of my little sister. Come up to my room. It at least looks a bit normal there."

The only time Maria had ever gone to a boy's room was when this boy invited her 'round for tea in the Juniors. He invited a few other people too and they just hung out talking and eating crisps. That was all that was expected. They'd had a good laugh. But what was expected now? Maria didn't want to think about it.

Alex led her up the stairs and to his room, right on the end of the landing. She opened the door and was thrown back.

"That's exactly the same poster I've got!" she cried. "That Sex Pistols one! And Slipknot. How come you never told me you were into grunge music?"

"Never really thought about it."

"I still love Meatloaf. I've got all the albums." She ran over to a pile of CD's. "you've got them too! Since when have you been into this sort of music?" Maria asked, playfully pushing him on the shoulder.

"Ages. From when I was 12."

"Whoa. She said sitting on his bed. "You sound the compete opposite from your parents."

"We're forever arguing. It's just stupid stuff. My Mum's always moping around the house with a tissue. My Dad is permanently yelling at me, even when I haven't done anything wrong. It drives me nuts. Then my little sister has her mates 'round and they just can't stop giggling." He said sitting down next to her.

"Hey, it's alright. Give it a year or so and you can get out this dump." Maria said placing her arm around his shoulders. "I've got to wait ages."

"No point then. You're the only thing that keeps me going."

"What time is it?" she asked.

"About 10."

"You got any movies?"

"Yeah. Wanna go down to the lounge?"

"Okay."

They went back downstairs. Maria ran into the living room and jumped on to the settee.

"Oh wow, it's all springy and bouncy!" she exclaimed. "Don't worry. I've got my boots out the way."

"Beige suede. You can't even clean it." He said, disgusted.

"What's the point of having this kinda sofa?"

"No idea. D'you want anything? Like drinks and that?" Alex asked.

"I don't mind. Surprise me." She replied.

He was gone for a bit. Maria saw the little wooden blocks from earlier. She moved the glass table in front of the sofa away and started to pile them on top of it. When she finished saw that you could pull out a double bed from underneath the sofa. It was already made up. That's odd, thought Maria but she didn't question it. She began to look at the photographs on the mantelpiece. There was big one in the middle, with the whole family. It was a few years out of date. There was a younger Alex with a blank expression. His little sister was only 5 but she still smiled away in a bright magenta dress. Her Mum looked at her fondly while the Dad looked as blank as Alex. What had happened to this family? Maria thought. This photo was professionally done. This house is perfect like an Ikea display. Yet the people living inside aren't happy. How come? What drove this sister to become a tart when her brother was a grunger? Why were the parents obsessed with gardening? Then it hit her. Everyone's growing up in different ways. His parents were going to retire in 10 years. Alex was set to move out the second he got the chance. His sister went and picked some girly friends then changed into them. What's happened to me then? she thought. I lie to my parents when I never would before. I'm in trouble at school when I used to be quite good. And Alex. Wait, he's 17. He stayed on at school. But he doesn't seem the type. This is so confusing, Maria cried in her mind. Her eyes stung a bit. She blinked angrily.

"Hey, I'm back. You've bee busy. I wasn't too long right?"

"Oh Alex." Maria cried.

"What is it?" he said, suddenly concerned.

She rushed up to him and hugged. "I'm being so stupid. I saw that picture."

"That really awful one with my family right? Don't worry, it nearly drove me to tears when I saw it too."

"Not like that, dopey." She said, tapping him on the nose. "It's just, everyone's growing up."

"They call it time but I see what you're saying. Everyone's changing."

"I don't like it. I wanna be Peter Pan or something."

"You funny little thing. It's nothing, all right? Just mood swings. You ladies blame it on hormones. All it is body changes. It makes your mind change too. Don't you see that?"

She nodded. "You must think I'm so stupid, randomly breaking down in your house."

Alex said nothing.

"Oh God, I need you." Maria said pushing him on to the sofa. She followed, bending down, her head over his. She hesitated for a moment, and then began to kiss him, gently massaging his shoulders. They lay down in each other's arms, and he began to gently pull her top over her head. She smiled at him, her eyes still spiky with tears, and began to unbutton his shirt.

Maria didn't remember much after that. All she remembered was that it was the most passionate, incredible night of her life.

**Chapter 4**

Maria woke up the next day at around 10. She didn't open her eyes for a good quarter of an hour. She just thought to herself, what happened? How far did we go? Oh God, she thought, what if…? Her eyes fluttered open. She found herself lying in the spare bed from last night. She groaned wearily. Suddenly she felt cold. She felt her body. There was no nighty or pyjamas. Not even knickers and bra. Maria was completely bare. Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God! she screamed at herself. She turned over and was greeted by a large back, rising and falling, equally as bare as her own.

"This is not good." She muttered. "Alex" said Maria, raising her voice. "You awake?"

He groaned. "What the hell happened last night?"

"I'm not sure." She answered truthfully. "You want food?"

"No." he aid gently.

They lay there together for what seemed like hours. Finally Maria broke the silence. She said 2 words.

"What if…?"

"Don't."

He turned over. "Whatever happens, we'll get through it. Come here."

Maria cuddled him.

"I don't know what to think or say. Half of me wants to laugh it off. The other half is saying 'This is freaky'. Then there's this tiny little thought that just says 'wow'." She said. "Do you want me to go?"

"Yes…then no. This is so difficult. I love you more and more every second I'm with you. But how an I meant to live elsewhere?"

"Well. I'll see you around." She replied. "I don't want to randomly break down in your home again, do I?"

"Oh God, don't be like that. It's probably nothing. We're just getting worked up. Maybe we just fell asleep."

"That's a lie and you know it. Face it, Alex. Any other time we could be together. Not now. How can I trust myself when I know I'll go too far each time we're together? It's going to kill me, kill you. One day, maybe. I love you so much it hurts. Good bye, my love."

Maria pulled on some clean clothes and felt for the necklace. She placed it on the bed. "Remember me." She whispered and kissed him one last time.

She went to the door, wishing he would call her back, reassure her, think of a totally acceptable story of what happened. But there was no excuse for. She knew what had happened and so did he. It was the end of it. No more kisses or secret smiles. End of story.

"Hey Dad." Said Maria glumly, when she reached the house.

"Hi honey. What's up? You look a bit droopy." He replied looking up from the computer.

"Nothing. I'm just…tired. I'm going up to my room to catch some shut-eye."

"Okay. I'll get Billy and Mum out the way. You can have the house to yourself if you like."

"Yes Dad, thanks."

Maria plodded up the stairs.

"A broken heart if ever I saw one." He muttered and returned to the newspaper.

She walked across the hallway, barely keeping her head up. She put her bag down on the floor and lay down on her bed. I won't cry, Maria told herself, I'll miss him sure, but that's it. There's plenty more fish in the sea.

"Oh, quit thinking crap!" she cried then burst into tears. "They'll never be another Alex!" she sobbed.

She stayed like that for ages under her duvet. When she emerged at 3, her eyes were red and swollen. Then the news finally hit her.

"I might be pregnant." She whispered hoarsely. She dived back under the duvet.

She started thinking about going on The Pill. But then it crossed her mind that it might kill the baby if she had caught on.

"What am I going to do?"

"I am _not_ going to school!" Maria shouted. "I don't fucking care what you say!"

"You are missy. Don't swear in front of me!" her Mum shouted back.

"You can't tell me what to do!" Maria yelled, locking her bedroom door. She knew how childish she was being but she could never face Kelly or Rose and tell them what had happened. And they could always tell when she lied.

"If you don't open up, I'll…I'll…"

"Ground me?" she butted in "Make my allowance smaller? Force me to wash up for a month? Face it Mum, that doesn't bother me anymore. Not after this weekend. Nothing can make my life worse!"

She turned up her CD player to maximum volume. Maria jumped onto her bed and began to cry all over again. Even the music didn't cover up her howling. She grabbed her pillow and cuddled up to it, hoping that it might change into Alex.

"Why does it hurt so?" she moaned.

Maria didn't feel like eating. The last time she'd eaten was on Saturday. Yet her stomach never rumbled. All her life was, was sleeping and crying, a chasm of hurt and pain. She couldn't even convince herself that it didn't matter, as she had only known him for 2 weeks. It wasn't like that. If she couldn't have him then she wanted none, not her friends, her family, or her pets. By day she howled with loneliness. By night she dreamt of Saturday all over again, then woke up crying.

The next day was no different, or the next, or the next. On Friday, the questions started. First it was Steph phoning.

"Maria, I've no idea why you're skipping school at the moment. Every one wants to know. Particularly about a certain somebody and the happenings on a certain night."

"Steph, I'm not going into it. All I've got is a belly bug. Nothing scary, okay?" Then she'd hung up.

Then Rose started on the emails, writing pages and pages of questions. In the end, Maria had replied GO AWAY in big bold red letters. She heard nothing from her after that.

Kelly began texting day and night. So she turned off her phone. But they didn't give up.

On Saturday at 11'o clock, all three pounded on the front door and rushed up to Maria's bedroom. They all started talking at the same time.

"Hey babe, why you so crabby?" Kelly started.

"What's with the emails?" moaned Rose.

And Steph whispered quietly "I was only asking."

Maria wished she had put a sign on the door saying GET LOST. They all stopped chattering when she didn't move from her bed.

"What's up?" they all said simultaneously.

Maria pointed to the sign on the wall.

'GO AWAY! Broken heart'

"No!"

"Not Alex, right?"

"How could he?"

Maria shook her head. "I'm not saying. Too complicated. Too painful."

"No honey. Even if you're not gonna say what's on your mind, you can't hide!" Kelly teased.

Steph went and fetched a flannel and mopped Maria's eyes. "You're coming out with us."

"We're going to get your favourite pizza." Rose continued, finding Maria's favourite outfit.

"Than take you shopping." Kelly finished "Who could say no to such a great deal?"

Maria gave in. But she didn't stay in their company for long.

Rose gave her the clothes and Kelly found her make-up bag and gave Maria large dark eyes and pastel pink lips.

"There you go. No blubbing or it will smudge." She smiled.

"Thanks, Kelly." She said, trying to be at least a little grateful.

Steph explained to Maria's parents about where they were going and everything.

"We'll have her back by 4 and you'll have your normal daughter back."

"We hope so." Maria's Mum replied.

They left the house.

"C'mon, droopy draws, it'll be a laugh. Where's your smile gone?" laughed Rose. Maria gave a pathetic little one. "Oh well, it's a start."

She felt the familiar vibration in her bag. It was a text. She decided to read it later. She didn't like being dragged out like this, all the effort gone to waste. There was only one thing that could cheer her up. And Maria doubted it would ever come back to her. A tear trickled down her cheek.

"Oops. You're leaking." said Steph.

"Leave me be, it'll pass."

They walked in silence until Maria asked "What' happened at school?"

"Nothing more than normal." Kelly answered.

"Laura blew something up in science." giggled Rose.

"But that's it. Unless you want the homework you skipped."

"No, I'm alright, thanks." Maria laughed. Laughing didn't feel good. Bit it cheered everyone else up.

She thought of the text. She pulled out her mobile, read it, then turned deathly pale.

"Hey, Maria, what is it?"

Her eyes grew wide and then she puked on the pavement.

"Oh my God!" screamed Kelly.

"Alex." Maria breathed. "I'll call you later." She said to her friends. She turned around and ran, even though they called after her.

Like a streak of lightening, she ran past her home and to the park. She sat down and read the text over and over again. Two little words meant so much to her. 'Missing you'.

"You don't know how much that means to me." She told her phone.

Without thinking, she pressed call. The phone on the other end rung for a short time, then was picked up.

"Hello?" someone asked.

"Alex?"

"No, this is his mate. Who is this?"

"His girlfriend."

She heard a group of boys laughing.

"You've got me on loudspeaker, haven't you?"

"Yep."

"Oh shit."

"Soz. Couldn't resist. What do you want?"

"Oh, it doesn't matter."

"No. Tell us."

"Don't worry, I'll call his home. You're not the guys that smashed up his car though?"

"No, we're not that stupid. It was this other group. Really rough. Sex and drugs and rock' n 'roll, if you get my drift."

"Whoa. I knew he wasn't the perfect citizen, or whatever, but I never knew it was like this."

"Gone off him a bit?"

"No. It's turned me on. I mean… I forgot about the loudspeaker."

"Practically everyone heard that."

"Great. Well, before I go and destroy any pride I've got left, I wanna know. I'm not just part of a long line, am I?"

"We're guys. We don't talk about that sort of stuff. I'll give you my opinion if you want it though. Girls go look him up and down all the time. And yes, you're not the only girl he's kissed. But one thing I do know. He's gonna kill me for telling you this. You're his first serious girlfriend, no doubt."

"Oh. Thanks for talking."

"No problem. I don't usually get to laugh at girls without being slapped."

"Cheek!"

"Bye, girl." He laughed.

"Seeyas."

She hung up. At least I know I'm his one and only, she thought. Oh God, that sounds like some pathetic chav song. Should I ring his home though? What if his parents pick up? Who cares? We need to talk. Yes, nut I might get him into trouble. Wait, he's already in trouble about the car thing. His is so confusing. I'll ring and hope for the best.

She dialled. Someone the other end picked it up quickly.

"Hiya babs."

Uh-oh. The giggly, chavy sister.

"Erm, hi. Is Alex there?"

"It's that girl again, ain't it?" she sighed

"Yes."

"Have you had an argument or summink? Ever since Sunday he's bin strange. Well, weirder than he normal is. Almost emo."

"Emo? Self harm stuff? Oh God!"

"Hay, calm down, sis. You two need to talk, I can tell. I'll get my parents out the way, right, you come 'round, and I'll make sure you have a decent hour together. No kissy stuff though."

"Oh, wow, you're a darling!"

"Don't thank me. I'm forced to sort people out. I'm like this Cupid, restoring love and friendships. It's quite nice in a way."

"It's Samantha, right?"

"I prefer Sam."

"Oh, I'll remember that."

"Okay, lovebird, come 'round in fifteen minutes."

"Whoa, quick service."

"Bye babs."

"Bye."

Maria watched a little kid feed some ducks.

"Something like that might be growing inside me." She whispered in awe "My periods due next week. What if I don't come on?" She pushed that thought to the back of her mind while she ran to Alex's house.

No cars were there. A sign that people were out. He rang the doorbell. The cars were proven wrong. A guy of about 54 came to the door. He peeped protectively around the door.

"Hello little girl. Who are you? What do you want?"

Maria really hated begin called a 'little girl' but just this once she kept her cool. "Sorry for disturbing you. I just wondered if you would let me use your bathroom."

"Oh right. We're about to go out."

"It's okay. I'll only be a couple of minutes."

"Alright. Be quick though."

She was led through the living room she knew so well and into a bathroom. She sat on the toilet seat, waiting, hearing Sam's lies to her parents and how she'd let 'the stranger' out when she'd finished. They both lapped it up, believing her every word. The front door slammed and footsteps thudded outside the bathroom door.

"All clear." A girl announced "Smart thinking about the bathroom."

"Thanks, Sam." Maria said coming out the bathroom.

"No problem. They took longer to persuade then normal. So you're the one. Well, not my taste, I'll give you that much. But for a grunger, you're okay."

"Quit analysing me. It's not your choice who your brother goes out with!" she snapped "Oops. Sorry." She said more calmly.

"Seeing that you're here now, I might as well get you back together. What made you two argue?"

"I can't say."

"Why not? I've heard every reason."

"Trust me. You won't have heard this."

"C'mon! Spill!"

"Only if it's alright with Alex."

"Fine! I'll go ask him!"

"Sam! It's too complicated!"

"Come with me then. I won't get a decent answer on my own."

Maria reluctantly followed her upstairs.

"You knock." Sam whispered. "He always yells at me to go away."

"Fine."

She stood there, almost afraid. Then she thought of that Saturday, how she'd missed him and what it had drove her to do. She kicked the door open.

"Alex?" she asked timidly.

"Maria?"

They ran to each other, Maria clung to him like velcrow.

"I've been so stupid." He whispered.

"Me too." It was all she could say. They kissed.

Sam stood uncomfortably at the doorway. "Oh yuck. Romeo and Juliet, break it up!"

They sprung apart.

"Shit" exclaimed Maria "I forgot you were there."

"Aww. Talk about passionate lovers." Sam cooed "You've got to tell me the whole story now."

They tried. But they skipped out the weekend. And the alleyway. And the oak tree.

Alex looked at Maria. "We can't tell. You'll go tell Mum and then we'll both be doomed."

"Look, I've seen my brother kiss a girl, which is probably the weirdest thing in the world. If you really don't want me to tell, I won't. Not even my closest mate at school will know."

"You'll hop to the bathroom to puke every 10 seconds." Maria warned.

"I'll cope."

So they told.

"Sam, you've gotta understand, it's just what happens when you grow up. In five years time you'll have kissed lots of boys." Alex explained.

"Look honey, we did warn you. When you have sex education they'll probably explain it better and you'll know about sexual urges and that." Sam looked put out. "Don't look at it as bad. It's only natural. Otherwise the human race would have died out ages ago.

"It's sick." Sam said disgusted. "So Maria's pregnant."

"I might be. I don't know if I've caught or not."

"But you see," Alex put in. "You can't tell anyone about this. We're the only people in the world who know."

"That's a pretty scary secret to keep." Sam moaned.

"You really can't say anything."

"Alright. I sent Mum and Dad away for 2 hours. So use the time you've got left wisely. Be quiet too. I don't wanna be put off my homework!"

**Chapter 5**

Sam really didn't know what to do. She wanted to tell someone. But even she knew that it wasn't a telling and gossiping secret, it was a think about it then shove it in the cupboard secret. What made it made it even weirder was the thought of being an aunt at ten. And the sounds coming from Alex's bedroom. Bumps, then giggles, then sounds Sam didn't want to think about. She shouldn't be going through all this.

So she went to her room and started her homework. She couldn't concentrate. And it was art, her favourite subject at school. So Sam got out her biggest black pen and a massive piece of paper instead and started to doodle anything. First it was her normal, flowers and hearts, and then she moved on to animals, big and small, ugly and pretty. She drew a young innocent girl holding a cat and then a man and a dog playing fetch in the park. It was a perfect world, happy, without the stress of real life. Then right in the centre she drew herself, bold and smiling. That was her world. That was where Sam wanted to stay. She found a blob of blu-tack and stuck her masterpiece up on the wall. She stood back and admired her work. That was when she heard the lock on the front door turn and then open.

Everything went deadly silent. You could have cut the air with a knife, or a spatula, or, or…a spoon.

"Hey kids, we're back." Someone called below.

"Hi." They heard Sam call back in a dull, shocked tone.

"Hi." Alex called too. He still had his arms around Maria. Her eyes had grown unnaturally wide in the past moment. She clung on, with no sign of letting go.

"You're both a bit quiet."

"It's okay, I just fell over and scraped my knee. I'm cleaning myself up in the bathroom. " Sam lied. She ran to Alex's bedroom. "For God's sake." She whispered. "Maria-hide, Alex, act a bit normal!"

Maria ran to the first place she could think of. It turned out to be the bathroom upstairs. She placed the toilet seat down and sat on it.

"Are you sure you're all right, Sam?" her Mum said as footsteps thudded up the stairs. No one answered.

"Sam?" she asked, opening the bathroom door.

Maria looked up, her hair veiling her face.

"It's you again!" the Mum gasped, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I felt sick. Your girl said I could stay a while."

"She'd never do that." She stopped in thought "How old are you?"

"Fifteen." Maria replied.

"You're single, right?"

"No."

"Who's your boyfriend?"

"What does it matter?"

"Why are you hiding it then?"

"Fine. It's…its Alex."

"Is this a sick coincidence or is what I'm thinking right?"

Sam entered the bathroom.

"Right." She said.

"Alex!" Mum called.

He joined Sam. "It's no biggy, Mum. I'm seventeen. I allowed a relationship, okay?"

"I don't mind relationships when they're just a little chat and kiss like in my time. But today it's a whole new story."

"Look. I've a couple of friends who are Dads or Dads to be."

"See what I mean? I don't want you to get mixed up in that world."

Maria edged to the door. "Look miss, I'm sure you're very nice. But the world isn't very nice. The sad thing is that I'd be happy to bear your grandchild, now or in ten years time. But you'd never accept me or the poor kid."

"Alex," the Mum was shouting now "You've thrown your life down the drain. You used to be pretty smart as a kid. The minute you got into secondary school, it was all downhill. The police phoned me up in year 8. Year 8, Alex, you weren't even a teen. Shoplifting. Next vandalising. What happened? I made you stay on at school so that you might get some A-levels and a decent job. Next thing I know, you're bunking all over again. You got your car smashed up. Now you're dating a slag. It's killing me!"

"Good." He shouted back "You might as well be dead. What sort of a Mum have you been to me?"

Sam looked at Maria. "Look Mum, she's not slag. She dresses up too nice and I know someone like that would never be a player."

"So what?" she blazed "All love is about is sex!"

"It's not all that. It's what he says to me. It's so sweet. And he's stood by me through thick and thin. Even when I've got into trouble, he was right there next to me." Maria mumbled.

"You should have seen them earlier, Mum." Sam smiled.

"We know when we're not wanted." Alex muttered "C'mon girls."

They stormed out the room hen downstairs and outside to the surprise of Sam and Alex's Dad.

They walked in silence, just in random directions. In the end, they found themselves back in Maria's park. Sam finally broke the silence.

"I've never argued before. Not properly with shouting. Never with Mum."

"Get used to it. I've had plenty in my time."

Maria said the obvious question. "What now?"

"Wait an hour and go back." said Alex.

"What's the time?"

"Six."

"I was meant to be back home ages ago."

"Never mind. Thanks for sticking up to me though, you two." Alex smiled.

"It's okay."

Sam skipped down to the pond and started to throw stones in. Maria watched her.

"What would happen if I really became pregnant?" she asked.

"Get our own place, wait for the kid to come along, then just see what happens. You couldn't have an abortion. I wouldn't let you."

"Parents make it all so difficult."

"Yeah… hey sis, d'you know how to skim rocks?" he yelled to Sam.

"I think so!" she replied. She gave it a go but was only awarded by the soft plop of the rock hitting the water.

"Here I'll show you."

Sam kept trying and after what seemed like a year she managed one little jump. She cheered a bit then just got bored.

"That's enough time now." Maria called to them. "Off we go, back into hell."

"You're very optimistic." Sam remarked.

"It's part of my job description. Hey Alex, I never knew you'd done all that rubbish. You know, shopliftin' and that."

"I did tell you before, I'm no angel. Not like twinkle toes here." He said as they began walking.

"Hey, I've only been helping you. If I started anything like that you would have got it in for being a bad influence." Sam pointed out.

"True. But you would have been smart enough to hide it. I leave the trail of a tornado."

Sam laughed. "You can say that again. So what are you two gonna say?"

Alex looked at Maria. "You go. You shouldn't be getting mixed up with my family."

"No. I'll always be right next to you, remember?"

"Aww. Here we go again – Romeo and Juliet."

"You skip along deary." Maria smiled. "We gotta talk about some stuff."

"Okay." Sam replied, winking.

"Funny little thing. Life's hard on her." Maria pitied.

"Not a patch on mine."

"It's okay. Wait one more year and your outta here."

"No. I want to break free of this life now. No parents or weird mates. No sisters. All I want is you." Alex said.

Maria watched his eyes. They shined of a long lost boy. Life _is_ hard on him, she thought, everyone just sees him as this local icon. Girls want to do more than date him. Boys want to be him. But no one sees past the stunts and long wavy blond hair except me. I've got the power to change this guy's life. And who knows. It may be in a week, a year, or a decade but I'm gonna make him happy in some way or other, even if it means breaking away from everyone here. 'I would do anything for love,' and whatever he wants or needs I'll do, no matter what happens. 'I'll never forgive myself if we don't go all the way tonight', every night. From now on, I dedicate my life to him, in every shape and form.

"Have you still got that necklace from last week?"

"In my wallet all the time."

"Do you swear to me that you'll never get rid of it, or lose it, or anything at all?"

"Yeah, sure. Why?"

"That was the best night of my life."

He smiled at her. "I've got to admit, that was one hell of a night."

"D'you know how hard it is, going to bed a night? It seems so empty all of a sudden. I don't know what's happened to you and me."

"You do Maria. It's so obvious. My point proven from what you just asked me."

"I know. I've been telling myself it's nothing even though it isn't."

They reached the house at last. Sam timidly knocked on the door.

"This is another 'randomly break down in my house' moment again, isn't it?"

"Yep." She sighed and put her arms around him. "We just can't help ourselves."

Alex tilted her head up with his finger and gently kissed her.

"Erm, hello? Guys?" Sam called "Break it up!"

At that moment the door opened.

"Hi Mum, you picked completely the wrong moment to open that door." Sam said, running into the house and upstairs to avoid trouble.

Mum stared after her then turned back to the door and then outside. She almost fainted at what she saw.

"See what I mean?" she shouted "Sex!" and slammed the door.

Maria unstuck herself from Alex. "Oops." She giggled.

"How come Sam didn't talk us out of it?" Alex moaned.

The door opened again.

"Get fucking in here now." Mum breathed.

"Then again, maybe she did. See you later."

"Bye."

After the Mum gave her one last dirty look, the door slammed, yet again.

Well, you win some, you lose some, she thought, time to go home.

"Hey Mum." Maria called.

"Hi. Weren't you meant to be back at 4?"

"Sorry about that. I went 'round Kelly's house and we lost track of time. Then I forgot to phone."

"It's half 8."

"You know what Kelly's like. She starts talking and she just won't stop."

"Oh well. Don't make a habit of it, okay?"

"Yes, sure Mum."

She went into the lounge. Billy was on the computer again. He looked up at her.

"How come you're suddenly acting normal?" He asked suspiciously. "You wouldn't budge from room and every time someone went near you you'd be all scary and shout really loud."

"Sorry little dude. I haven't been myself. It's okay now. No shouting, I swear." She apologised.

"I missed the old Maria in a weird way."

"Don't worry, the old one's back. What're you doing?"

"'Count the Cats'."

"Again?"

"I'm on the fifth level. It's really hard. Look. 20+5."

"How far can you count?"

"Up to 20."

"You're getting better."

"Not really. Not as good as I wanna be."

"Keep practising, it'll come."

"Do you want the computer?" he asked, suddenly.

"Since when did you offer it to me?" she laughed.

"Since you were back to normal."

"Okay then, if you're sure."

She sat down and saved the game.

"What are you gonna do?" he said.

"Email."

"That's a bit boring."

"Not to me. Hey, no peeking at my emails, Mr! You hop along."

"No fair. Me wanna see!"

"You can't." Maria said, closing the game and clicking the internet icon.

"Why not? You haven't got anything to hide."

I have, she thought. "No," she lied. "I just want a bit of privacy."

"Okay." He shuffled off.

"Right then," she muttered. Her inbox was filled to the brim as usual. But, as usual, it was filled to the brim with crap. Just stupid stuff like Kelly moaning, or chain mail, or someone emailing something they thought was funny. Nothing really important. Nothing she was hoping for. She began a long message instead. To Alex.

Hi.

I feel well guilty for letting all that happen today. Sam must be feeling pretty out of it, her first real argument, and all.

So must you. Oh God, you must be stuck in your room with nothing better to do except email me. I'll be right next to this computer all night long, even though we'll both get bored and fall asleep at half 9.

Well, I'll start some sort of long, boring conversation that might keep you marginally interested.

What the hell did your Mum do to you?

Love you forever,

Maria x x x x x x x

She waited. 10 minutes went by. She began to doodle on a nearby pad of paper. Another 10 minutes. Then another. She was about to call it a day when a pop-up announced that anew message had arrived. She opened it up. Alex.

You must be physic. I'm in my room right now, bored out my skin. Sam's also stuck, worst luck.

Maria smiled.

What did your Mum say?

He replied instantly.

Oh God, don't go into that. She just burbled on for an hour and half about how 'irresponsible' we were and sex risks.

She clicked reply.

That don't sound too good.

A pop-up announced a new message.

You better not be pregnant. She kept screaming at me, asking how far we'd gone.

Maria's eyes widened.

You didn't say anything, right?

He reassured her.

No, I stared her out.

She sighed.

So Sam's in trouble now.

Yes. Not as bad as me. Have you got MSN?

He replied.

I've wanted to signup for ages but I've never got round to it.

Just go to the website. It's easy.

Yeah, I know, it's just finding the time. Hey, what's the time?

About half 10.

How did time manage to move so fast?

It just does. I'd better go, to keep in Mum's good books.

Okay. See you soon.

Love you.

Love you too.

Bye.

Bye x x x x x

Maria figured it might be best if she had an early night too. The wasn't any better things to do. She went back up the stairs. It was quite dark. Her Mum only had her bedside light on and Billy had fallen asleep hours ago. The hall light was off o she let her hand glide over to her right and it guided her to her room.

She didn't switch on her lights. Instead she undressed in darkness, slipping a nighty over her head. Leaving brushing her teeth and hair until morning, Maria plunged into the depths of her bed. She wasn't planning on sleeping.

She hadn't drawn the curtains so eerie moonlight was draped across her face. Her wide blues eyes were fixed on the ceiling, deep in thought: I knew what he was like. I shouldn't be surprised. Oh, for fucks sake, there's nothing he hasn't done. I haven't even heard the whole story yet. And he's got a criminal record. In it with the police. But that doesn't matter to me. In fact it turns me on…

Maria rolled her eyes and groaned at herself.

…but am I just stupid? Or am I really, truly in love?

**Chapter 6**

He woke with a start. It was still pitch black; you could barely see you hand in front of your face. He blinked bleary.

"I really shouldn't be dreaming about that sort of stuff. Not after Saturday."

Alex gave a smile to himself. That was some Saturday night. He glanced at a clock. 1am. But after that dream who could expect to sleep?

Maria woke up reluctantly.

"That dream was so sweet, so romantic," she murmured "Only a fraction of real life."

She turned over, almost expecting to see that bare back to be there. Instead there was a clock. It read 1am.

What do dreams actually mean? thought Alex. Aren't they meant to be a copy of real life or something? It ain't a great copy. Real life is so much more interesting…

Maria suddenly had this burning desire. She hadn't a clue how it was lit. Okay, maybe she did. It was obvious. But she wanted some sort of connection. To Alex. She didn't want to text him. She hated being woken up in the night by some text that had no decent reason so she made sure that she didn't do that to anyone else either. But what could she do? No texting and she wasn't up for a creeping down to the lounge session either.

"Oh, c'mon, this is really out of order." She muttered to herself. "There's gotta be some way other than email, phones or pegging it over to his house." She thought hard. "Please, anything!"

Maria was screaming in her head. She didn't care if it was mad; it just seemed the right thing to do. Then she suddenly stopped, like the dangerous momentum of a car in a car crash. Her head swam with heat. A cooling sensation travelled through her body.

_Please_, she thought, I so badly need to talk with you…

His head swam, a pounding headache.

He groaned. "Look, I haven't been drinking, there's no blood rush so what the hell's going on?"

A voice came to his head. "Great. Now I'm going mad."

He listened, trying to make out what it was saying. "_Please_, I so badly need to talk with you."

"Okay, who is this? Sam?" he called. The room stayed silent.

The breezy tingle still hadn't gone from Maria's body. It was then she started thinking different.

"This is too strange. Hey wait, that memory wasn't there before. And how come I keep seeing myself over and over again?"

A voice started talking. "Erm, hello? I'm going nuts."

"That's not Alex, right?"

"Yeah. Wait, give me a minute, that's Maria."

"Er, yeah. What's happening? I can see everything you think and all your memories. "

"Same here. How come I keep seeing me in your head?"

"Oops. Sorry. When I talk to people through text and email I usually have a picture of them in my head. Only I've never talked to people _through_ my head before."

"I just had this headache then it just vanished. Next thing I know, you were there. Oh God, don't start looking at what I think about you. And Sam. And everyone else in the world."

"I just…can. I see everything. Hey, stop right there. Oh my God, who are you to say that you want me to get a boob job? They're too big already!"

"See what I mean? Hey wait, I can read your mind too."

"Don't you dare…"

"Oh God… you knew what I was like and yet you still think of me like that!"

"No, I've always thought it was a bit dodgy, doing all that crap. But we have got to stop all this right now. Before we find out something that we really don't want to."

"Fair enough. But, er, how?"

"I don't know! You've just had the same dream as me!"

"What?"

"That dream. Somewhere hot, romantic dinner, on the beach, the hotel…it's all the same! Now I'm freaked out."

"You're right. What's going on?"

"All I remember is that I really wanted to talk to you for no reason whatsoever. I didn't want to text I just wanted some sort of connection. And look what I got. A connection. I was so stupid, just screaming in my head. Then I had this cold feeling. It's still here right now. I started to think different and then I just found you."

"Wow. Watching all your memories is like a film only you get to sit in the screen, not outside it. Ooh, look at you, mouthing off the teachers when you were 12. You hypocrite, you got suspended over that. Look, in the head teacher's office for the sixth time. We're no better than each other."

"Why the hell did you graffiti that at the train station?"

"I was 10, what do you expect? Oh, I've found the Saturday night memory. That really broke your heart. Wow, you cried over me for a week."

"At least I'm not the one playing all that music. Sam was right, you did almost go emo."

"How come she told you that?"

"It was on the phone, the first time I talked to her. Ooh, lets go through all your ex's."

"We can both play that game. John, what happened to him? He seems alright, oh wait, he cheated on you."

"Christine, wow, mega chav of the year award. Look at them hoops. You dumped her for this Goth called Nadine. She looks nice, but you got bored and dumped her. Ooh, look at your celeb crushes. Billie Piper, Amelle from the Sugababes, c'mon, she's a right chav. Avril Lavigne, she's all right, but now she's a massive glamour puss. Hey, what did you first think of me?"

"Quit telling me my love life. Don't you start looking at my first impressions. I've been out with too many girls."

"What do you expect? Every girl's got a crush on you except for my mates. They got bored of me talking about you non-stop. Let me look, it won't hurt." She looked. "So that was what was going through your mind when you first saw me. Hey, that was pretty crude. Oit, look at that in the alleyway. You really thought that you had blown it then. Ah, the Oak Tree. I really pounced on you then. Aww, happy days."

"Wait, you're really worried about this pregnancy thing. You've been thinking about The Pill, abortions, everything. Look, we don't even know if you're pregnant yet. And anyway, you're not killing off the baby. I don't care what you say; I'm not letting you."

"You've been thinking about it too. It's been playing on your mind for the past day, particularly after your Mum had a go at you."

"I can't help it. It's just what if this happened or that? What would happen then?"

"I don't know. All we can do is wait and see. Just try and get on with life."

"It won't get out my head. Wait, seriously, how do we get out of each other's head? I wouldn't mind you sticking around in the school day when I can be bothered to go but right now really isn't the time."

"I need my sleep. Let's just try and sleep. This might just be a crazy dream. Who knows?"

"Worth a shot. Night."

"Night."

Maria turned over. How come beds kept feeling so empty, so lonely? I wish you were here right now, she thought.

"So do I."

"I can't help thinking about stuff. Right, let's start again. Try and keep your mind blank."

"Okay."

Alex sat up and closed his eyes. I wish you were here right now, he thought. He opened them and slowly looked to the right.

"You're sitting right next to me." He whispered.

She touched his bed. "So I am." She replied, in a state of shock. "Any idea of what just happened?"

"I don't know." He reached out to touch her leg. His hand reached the bed. "I can't touch you." He gasped.

"I know." She sighed. "This is my soul."

She got up from the bed and stood in the middle of the room, facing him. He looked at her more closely. "Can't you see?" she whispered, trembling. "What I'm wearing. This dress. It has my life written on it. Every detail. I'm fucking glowing." She studied her hands. "My hands. They're stained with white. Oh no." A tear trickled down her cheek. "I know how you're going to die."

"Stop it. Just, stop it; get out, whatever you are. You're not Maria."

"I am." She cried. "What's happened to me? I'm going to die. I need my body…"

He ran to her. "What the hell's happening?"

"Body starvation. Souls need the body so that they can survive until the body dies. Then the soul moves on and finds a new body. If the soul stays away from the body for too long, the soul dies. The body lives on with no thoughts, no emotions, just a shell." She took a deep breath. "I'll fly back. This might be the last time I see you. So, Alex?"

"Yes?" he sobbed

"Don't forget me."

She closed her eyes and opened her mouth. The room was scattered with moonlight as the curtain blew open and the windows cracked and broke. Thunder crackled outside and the wind blew the soul's dress around. Lightning howled and her hair stood on end. Her eyes grew wide and turned a light, unnatural blue. A cool, silvery smoke came out of her mouth and the soul's body fell away. When it hit the ground it broke up into dust, the smoke still hovering above it. A pure white phoenix rose and flew through the smoke and the soul and all its traces vanished. The windows mended themselves and the curtains were redrawn.

Alex went down on his knees. "What have we done?"

He heard Sam calling. "Alex? Alex! What's happened? I heard glass breaking and thunder and lightening." She came into his room and found him on the floor, defeated, tears running from his eyes like water from a tap. "Are you okay? Where's the glass, the storm, wait a second. Why are you on the floor, crying?"

"I can't explain. You'd never believe me. And now Maria and maybe the baby is dead." He broke down.

"Hey, look, there's no corpse, or anything. And she hasn't broken in just so you two can make out, I would have heard her. I've been awake ever since you started talking to yourself. Then there was the glass, and the storm, and I knew something was up. Especially when I saw a white phoenix flying through the sky. What's happened? It's nothing to do with Maria, it's just UFOs or something weird." She made him sit on the bed and hugged him. "What's happened? You can tell me."

So he told her. Sam didn't laugh. She pitied him.

"You poor thing. You make me feel like your big sis sometimes, instead of a little one. Look, I bet it's just a creepy dream. Everyone has them, no matter how old they are. Just go back to sleep and it'll all sort itself out in the morning." She put him back into bed, kissed him good night, and went back to her own room.

"I can't work out who's the Mum, Dad, big sibling and little sibling in this house." She muttered.

He couldn't sleep for about half an hour. Alex lay there, mourning. The headache came straight back again.

"Not again. She can't speak to me or anything now, not when she's dead."

"Who says I'm dead?"

"Maria?"

"The one and only."

"You're dead!"

"Hey, phoenixes can fly quite fast when they put their minds to it. All that happened is the link from my body and my soul has snapped. So I can talk to you whenever I like now. I'll work out how to stop the headaches. It's kinda annoying; sometimes I drift out my body without meaning to. But I'll get used to it. Oh, I've worked out how to get out your head. Easy, just imagine myself walking out of a room or a sealed off space. Then pop, I'm gone."

"Are you some sort of ghosty thing now?"

"Yes and no. Don't worry; I'm sticking to my body. If I felt like it I could nick someone else's, but I'm not up to that yet."

"How did all this happen?"

"Basically, I wanted to be with you so much that the body and soul link snapped. I managed to set up some sort of communication through mind reading but I got myself stuck in the system. I had to call my soul over to sort it all out. Then it flew back to my body."

"So. I'm dating an angel."

"You were before, sugar." she laughed.

"I was so scared you were dead. I couldn't take it."

"You reminded about the catch of the link breaking. My body will grow old. My soul won't. So I'll always have the same sort of personality, it will only change on rare occasions and even then, the changes will be small. So you're always gonna have me as a 15 year old."

"It could be worse. I'm so glad you're okay. That was a bit of a dramatic exit."

"Couldn't you see that dress? I needed to show you that I might die in that journey. And…I'll always know everyone's fate too."

"So what's going to happen to me?"

"Car accident. No, wait, motorbike. I think that you'll be chased by something at the age of 25 and after a while they shoot you down. If you're careful, you can change it all and have a longer life."

"Fucking hell. Oh well. At least I get to ride a motorbike."

"That's the whole point. Don't learn how to drive a motorbike and you'll be fine."

"Okay. How do you go?"

"I'm shot down too with the babies. Only they will be about 7 or 8. "

"So you're pregnant?"

"Yes."

"Wow. That's something you don't hear everyday." He smiled. "Do we get twins?"

"Yep, a girl and a boy. I think they get weird powers from me thanks to tonight."

"It doesn't matter."

"Not really. I wish that all this had never happened."

"Why?"

"Well on Sunday I'll come over at around 10am. Then you'll find out."

"Find out what?"

"I can't say. But you'll never be the same again."

**Chapter 7**

Maria woke up early the next day, her mind fresh and crisp. She thought over what happened. It didn't piece together quite right. First of all, why was she still thinking about all of Alex's memories? And how did they manage to get there? Wait, what did a white phoenix got to do with things? And how come…

Her thoughts were broken down by one small question: What the hell was happening here?

She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. That was when something prodded her in the arm.

"Get lost." She murmured, "It's a Sunday, I deserve a lie in, and it's _so_ early and I won't get one for a while. And anyway, I'm trying to figure out some stuff."

"It's half eight and anyway, let me help you 'figure out some stuff'.'" A voice answered.

"Let's go through the current options." Maria muttered, "I'm in a place I know very well. Something pokes me for no reason. I talk to it and tell it to go away. It replies in a voice I don't know and it's not something stupid like Billy winding me up. Solutions: this is either something from earlier; a dream; or I'm going round the bend. I'm betting on the second."

"Look gal, I can make this like a dream, _and_ make you mad. But I'm actually something from earlier."

"Great. I really wish that all this was a dream. Can't you disappear?"

"Nope. I'm here to stay."

Her eyes flickered open and she turned to the right. Her room was completely transformed. She was laying on a rock surrounded by water. A range of precarious looking stalactites perched on the caves inner roof along with a particularly fluffy bat.

"The last time I was here, this was my room." She complained.

"Would you prefer this?" the bat asked, it's wing gesturing around the cave. Except it wasn't a cave anymore.

Desert enclosed every possible space. And the space didn't run out. Shadows, light, creatures, or walls penetrated it, in their own unique way. The material it was constructed of had twisted and curled to create mutated objects. The rock that Maria was laying on had promptly run away in the shape of a blue and white striped mug, leaving her to fall unaided in the small gap of air to the dusty floor. She looked around.

"Bat?" she called. "Where have you gone? This isn't fair, I only wanted my room back!" She got up off the floor and dusted herself down.

A triangular lump of cheese dressed in a suit ran past her calling. "It is your room. It is your room. It is your room -" It promptly vanished in cloud of laughter, echoing off an electric pink pot plant. She turned, following the echo carefully.

An army of tall serpents marched past her from behind, brushing her out the way like a bug. She turned around to see what was happening but was then quick to move out their way. The last one stopped in front of her and changed to a large baby's head without a neck or body. A tattoo of a cobweb was located on its bald scalp.

"You poor little thing." She pitied.

"Not a bad place." The baby considered. "A bit busy for my liking. I could get used to it." It transformed into a bat with a red flash.

"You're the bat!" fumed Maria " Look, get me out of here _right_ now."

"Ooh, don't get your knickers in a twist." It fluttered high up in the air and morphed to an eagle. It displayed an impressive nosedive to the desert ground. Only when it didn't pull out of it, the room changed again, just as it hit the earth.

"I didn't ask for Kelly's room!"

"Sorry." Said the bat, reappearing through the wardrobe and looking around the room. "What's with all the chav posters on the wall?"

"I don't know. She stuck them up there! Ask her!"

"Right, okay, I'll find your room." The bat clapped its wings together and produced a silent multicoloured light. Maria's room finally came back into existence.

"Thank you. Now you've got a lot of explaining."

A transparent monkey replaced the bat and danced around her face.

"I'm not a soul, that's still inside you. I'm a sprite. I come with the package. But it's not an Ebay package. This is the 'become immortal' package. So when you split your link, I came. Souls just sit around in bodies all day long. They're a type of sprite - the lazy type. Still, can't knock them, they can talk and perform pretty good magic if they have the time." the monkey explained. "Now you know what I can do with all that impressionism, caves and teenage rooms. Test me on my creature forms."

"Something that can sit on my shoulder and stays invisible from everyone except me."

"Easy enough." It curled up into a hedgehog. "That's a bit boring. There's gotta be a better form."

"Fine, erm, how about…Alex."

"Not human love. Of all the bodies and souls in the world, I got a teenage gal in love. That's what the immortals wanted. So I guess they got it. Just, remember: I'm not the real thing. I'm imitating it. So no snogging me!" It changed. "Good enough copy?"

"You're voice has changed like his. Your hair, it's perfect, all long, wavy, and blonde. The eyes are a bit off. You got his clothes right though. Wait, there's something else not quite right. That's it. You made him too short."

"I only looked in your mind and found him so it's only what you think. At least he's not a midget. Humans are easy. There's got to be something harder you can think of!"

"Fine. God."

"Which one?"

"The Christian one."

Elvis replaced Alex in a flash of white sparks.

"The God of rock. Geddit?" the sprite laughed. "You'll soon learn the we twist your commands around. Try to be specific."

"Okay. Change to the Christian holy God."

Elvis put on a grey tunic, complete with a long grey beard and bible. It laughed.

"Try this. Change so that you have the human form of the Christian God. " Maria commanded.

The sprite whistled. "I should have told you before. We can't change into immortal beings unless you too are immortal. And you're nowhere near."

"So what are you here for?"

"I'm meant to help you in any way I can. And make you immortal."

"What about my life?"

"Should have thought of that before you went and broke the link. Did you ever think about how Gods and Goddesses came around? They were all once humans. But they snapped the bond between the body and soul. There's thousands. But you only get two coming around every million years, a guy, and a gal. Lots of the guys go power hungry the second they get immortal and ditch the gal in ten seconds flat. But this time they want a couple, heavily in love and all that. Apparently you got yourself pregnant after about 3 weeks of dating. Young people of today…still, that's are what they're looking for, those immortal people. Only teen couples. Soul mates, if you pardon the pun." It shrieked with laughter again.

"Don't go all science on me. I don't get it, not this early in the morning. Anyway, it looks like I got the Goddess stakes. But it sounds too fluffed up, Gods and Goddesses, all romantic and that. We're just not like that. We like each other as people. I just can't see us together floating in a bright blue sky with little halo wings and harps. Anyway, I bet that we'd get sick of each other, just sitting around all day on a cloud with nothing to do."

"That's what they said. So that's why they're letting you two stay on earth. When you've both got the stuff to become immortal they're gonna get me to send you both right up to them, get you analysed, see how far you'd go. Then you can both go back to earth and live out your boring life in the body. When it goes, pick your form, and you can stay on earth or go back up. It'll get clearer as time goes by. Oh yes, you're immortal form is permanent. I'd choose wisely."

"There you go again, all stuff in science."

"I'm making it as easy to understand as possible and believe me, it's not easy."

"Just don't go into long words. How am I meant to become immortal, seeing that I'm pretty much forced into this crap."

"I've got to get you and this Alex to kiss and his link will break. Shame, that's the way that really hurts. Got to be done. Then I'll train you both. It'll be long and boring but you asked for it, going and breaking the bondage. How did you manage to snap yours anyway?"

"I had this dream. It reminded me of him. I wanted to talk to him, without text, or email. I screamed in my head, aching to talk him. Then I stopped and my body went cold and tingly. I went into his mind. We talked. I could see all his memories, all his thoughts. After a while he managed to get me out his head. That was when my soul was in his bedroom. You've probably heard the rest."

"You're good. Yeah, the immortals showed me. Why did your soul take on that form?"

"It wanted to get back to my body."

"No." the sprite considered. "The natural form of your soul is meant to show who you are inside. I'm guessing from the form that you're careless, passionate, bubbly, and elegant and…hey, that's interesting, phoenixes are meant to symbolise the sun, immortality and it appears on the coinage of the late Roman Empire as a symbol of the Eternal City. Don't' ask why I know that. You try staring at the world for 10 million years and not picking up odd facts every now and then."

"See? Look Mr Sprite slash scientist. We're not interested. We're both just not suited to that kinda thing. He's got a bloody criminal record for fucks sake. I keep getting suspended and I swear that'll soon turn into expulsion. We're just…bad."

The sprite let out it's ringing laughter again. "That's what they want, some fresh, new, outgoing kids. I don't make up the rules. I obey them. You wait until you can control the world."

"That's just the thing, I really don't want to control the world."

"You've got no choice. You've got magic running through your veins, woman!" it poked her. "I'm forced to teach you how to use it to your advantage. What powers have you already worked out how to use?"

"Erm, looking into the future of someone and talking to Alex through my mind."

"Not a bad start. Say something in Japanese."

"I can't." Maria said, word perfect. "I'm rubbish in French at school: I can't pick up words that easily." She gasped in shock.

"See? Magic! Don't you get it, gal? There's no escape. You're in a corner: the mouse in the trap. No, I've always found that natural magic is the best place to start on. I'll teach you seeing into the future and mind reading. That's always useful. Then you need, ooh, let's see, self defence…"

"I'm going to see Alex about all this."

"Fine. Go. But the second you touch him, snap, gone forever."

"This is so cruel."

"They call it blackmail."

"Why can't you go away and I'll get on with life?"

"That's usually what happens to the people with broken links that haven't got the stuff to be immortal. Or the immortals don't' feel like that sort of person that particular in the million year period. I'm sorry, gal, you've been picked, like it, or lump it. You can't get away. Even killing yourself wouldn't work because the soul still lives on."

"This is way unfair."

"Get used to it. These immortal people just get what they want."

"I just don't get it. Okay, this is how I think it's going. Alex and me have got chosen to become immortal. Right so far?"

"Yes. Except for grammar but I'll let you off for now."

"This is because I broke my link between my body and my soul."

"Yep."

"I can't get out of it."

"Yes."

"I'm blackmailed into it and even the little sprite they sent can't help."

"Yep. But I'm not little. And I can help. Not to get you out of the immortal stuff but to help you become immortal."

"Which makes you a little bit better than useless."

"Hey!" He jumped at her but she put out her hand. He floated in mid-air.

"I can get used to this." She muttered.

"Put me down!"

"Fine." She said distracted by her fingers. "Wow, they're glowing."

"Side effect." He puffed "Don't use magic on me."

"Why?"

"I can use it too. And so long as I don't harm your soul, I can practically kill you."

"No magic unless it's this training crap. Shake on it?" The monkey put forward a translucent paw.

"Agreed. Let's see this guy of yours."

"You make it seem so corny."

"Back when I was human, corny was my middle name."

"What was your name?"

"Something long. I forget. But now I'm fine with Kabbala."

"What kind of name is that?"

"It's very long so listen up. In North-West Africa there's a place called Sierra Leone near Guinea. Kabbala is a place in Sierra Leone in the north. It's pretty famous for it's Jewish influences."

"That's a long reason. Mine was just because my Mum used to love 'The Sound of Music'. I think the main character's called Maria."

"You're right." He sang. "'How do you solve a problem like Maria?!'" He howled with laughter yet again.

"Shut up. It isn't funny, being named after a nun who gets sentimentally attached to a group of kids."

He smiled. "I could get used to you, you know. Break through the moods and block you swearing at me, yep, we could get on fine."

"We're going. You're doing all the explaining to him. I'm not getting involved with this." She rolled out of bed and stumbled to her wardrobe. "Well, go away then."

"What?"

"You're not watching me dress with your little chimp eyes!"

"You think I've haven't got better things to worry about?"

"No!"

"You try having a deadline of half ten to get both of your links snapped. It's already nine. He better not live too far away…"

"Just go, you creepy perve."

"Fine, fine, I'm watching fat pigeons eat." Kabbala transformed to one himself and sat on the windowsill, obviously turned away. "So incredibly interesting." He noted.

"I don't care if it's boring, no peeking! I'm bloody sick of boys getting the wrong idea about me!"

"What do you expect?" he replied. "Nice figure, and even though it kills me to say this, nice personality. Plus you go and get pregnant at 15. Guys do date for sex, you know."

"It's so God damn annoying. Why can't they love from the heart?" she said, pulling on a pair of jeans.

"That's why some girls get a bit uh oh and go off the rails."

"I did wonder…"

"Just an example of someone I know who did that and glided off to the land of female lovers. Not you, even though your mind drifted off way back in time. And that's not mentioning your soul. That went a bit cuckoo and went with the mind, floating away out the window."

"Get off!" she laughed, throwing a t-shirt at him. He dodged easily and it fell out the window.

"Whoops. I'll get it." Kabbala flew out the window and returned with it in his beak.

"You had better not have mucked it up."

"I save your top and what do I get? Nothing but more moans. What happened to 'Thank you,' or 'I am highly grateful you did that,' or "You are appreciated for completing that noble task. As a reward you can have 5 gold coins,'?"

"Fine. Thanks."

"Just a reminder of a little guy called manners."

"Just a reminder of a certain person who can crush you."

"Why don't you just sleep in your clothes?" he said, ignoring her remark.

"Erm, somehow I'm not too keen on that idea. Look, let's go and get it over and done with. You're doing all the explaining."

"I know." He sighed.

They went downstairs and Maria left a note to say that she was going out until lunchtime.

Girl and sprite left the house and stepped without ease into the sun. And hell.

**Chapter 8**

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Maria asked for the fourth time.

"Yes." Kabbala replied. "Look at it in this way. You were both chosen a long time back. It was just out of luck that you managed to split your link naturally. Give it one month more or so and they would have done it for you."

"But we only met about 3 or 4 weeks ago!"

"How can I explain this to you?" He changed to a blackboard and rolled along on squeaking wheels next to her on the pavement. "Right then. Watch the board. At the start of time the original Immortals made the world." As he spoke, images flickered up on the board, drawn on with chalk that seemed to have a life of its own.

"But they didn't do it in 7 days. There was no sense of time so God knows how long it took." He laughed in the same screeching tone as before. "Well, they got Earth as a planet, shoved a sun nearby, and put 8 more planets around the Earths sun. They expanded and made more star systems and galaxies and more suns and soon they had this big black place – the universe. They decided to put creatures on the planets (I guess that I've given away that aliens – or whatever you call them – do exist) and it just happened that Earth had creatures given to it. The Immortals had this wacky idea that they wanted some of the creatures to come to them -"

Maria grabbed the chalk. "Stop. Just say it in simple terms. The pictures really aren't helping." The board was covered in sketches of planets and cartoon aliens.

"Fine." Kabbala transformed into a teenage girl. Maria watched as the chalk disappeared out her hand with interest. "All it is, is that they wrote a massive book with descriptions of all the creatures to be born and their planets and a paragraph about each one of their lives. They wanted to invite creatures every one million years up to them to join them. After talking they decided the best creatures were humans. They did not seem incredibly intelligent but humans had enough knowledge look after the universe. This particular million-year period The Immortals decided they wanted a teenage couple, like I said before. They looked in the book and found you two. The rest you know."

"Have you got a habit of making everything complicated?"

"Well you did ask."

"So basically it was decided about five hundred thousand years ago that I was gonna get picked?"

"You've got it. See what I mean? No way out. You're destiny was decided before you were born. As was this boyfriend of yours."

"That sucks."

"Hey!" the girl put up her palms innocently. "If you wanna go lodge a complaint, tell them, not me."

They had arrived at Alex's road. Just a few more houses and a bit of time passing by and then she would never see him definitely mortal again.

"Right. I've made my mind up. This is a bad idea."

"I've only got until ten. It's just gone nine. We really can't put this off, especially seeing that you want me to tell him about The Immortals. Just grit your teeth and bear it."

"Alright." She sighed, annoyed. "His parents never let me in. Not since I kinda broke in and used his sister as a stall."

"Geez, what are you two like?"

"When I first met him, I wasn't the best girl in the world but it all changed. I needed, no wanted, to do more stuff. It all turned out to be bad stuff." Maria paused "Can I ask…?"

"What?"

"What's up with that form? It's just, really chavvy."

"There's nothing wrong with massive hoops and short skirts." Maria looked at her, one eyebrow raised. "Okay, I get your point. I'll change." The chav closed her eyes and when she opened them up again, a goth had appeared.

"That's better."

"I feel really self-conscious."

"Why?"

"Goths were the people who harassed the Roman Empire back in 500AD."

"Your point being?"

"I just don't like it."

"Tough. ' Grit you teeth and bear it.', I remember you saying. Anyway, what are we meant to do when we get there? It's only a couple of minutes away."

"Just knock."

"When they're all asleep?"

"Can't you just tell him we're coming over so he can get the door?"

"I guess. But I hate this mind reading thing."

"Just do it. I wanna see how you manage anyway."

"Alright then."

She thought how badly she needed to talk to him. She thought so hard it hurt. She screwed up her eyes and clenched her fists, forcing herself not to cry out. The cold feeling came and it felt familiar - almost a comfort and Maria started thinking different, all over again. She opened her eyes.

"I'm back in," she whispered.

"If you go somewhere that you've been before, usually you are back in. Glad you worked something out for yourself."

"Shut up. I'm trying to concentrate."

"I know that feeling." A voice started saying. "You're back again aren't you? Maria?"

"Yeah. I'm here."

"I was hoping last night was a dream."

"Sorry I'm the one to tell you this but it was totally real."

"Great."

"Look, I'm only here to get you to open your front door. I'm practically outside it now."

"Alright. I'm coming."

"Bye."

"Bye."

She freed herself from his thoughts and slipped back into her own mind.

"He is so mad at me."

"At the moment it just seems to him that it's your own fault that you got him mixed up in this. Who else is there to take it out on?" The gothic girl looked around, as if someone would drop out the sky.

"I guess. But I thought he would understand, of all people."

They arrived at his house, surrounded by the flowers trying to be plastic. Kabbala looked around edgily. "Are you sure this is his place?"

"Try inside the house. Don't faint."

The goth sat down on the brick wall. "How am I meant to tell him about all this? It was easy with you, pure shock then facts. I can't exactly do that here."

"You'll find a way." She reassured.

The door opened. Kabbala stood up next to Maria.

"Hi," Maria began.

"Don't explain." Alex sighed. "Just get in here and up to my room with your weird goth friend."

"Don't be cold with me. There's a perfectly reasonable answer to last night."

"Yeah. Like what?"

"Please don't be so difficult. It's just too hard at the moment."

"Look," he reached out to touch her. "I'm sor -"

"Don't touch me. You don't want what's going on inside me. Think of it as a contagious disease."

"Now who's being cold?"

"It's not her fault." Kabbala started. "It's The Immortals…"

"I'm just sick of all this shit. It's like some sort of kids book."

"It's deadly real." Kabbala insisted. "I've seen them."

"Let's just sort all this out. Come inside and tell me."

Both girls followed him inside the house, closing the door behind them themselves. Kabbala stared around the hallway, as expected, gawping at the immaculate carpet and coffee table but said nothing.

They sat down together in the lounge, Maria and Alex far apart.

He looked at her. "Tell me."

"I would if I could, but frankly, I can't." She breathed heavily. "This is going to sound really stupid."

Kabbala looked at her then to Alex. "I said to her I'd explain to you. I'll try not to make this too complicated. Right. Is there an explanation for this?" She transformed into a sleek black cat and promptly licked her paw. She expected him to be taken back or at least look a little bit shocked but his face was completely emotionless. "Well?"

"No. But I expect you'll tell me."

The cat nodded. "Yes. I'm a sprite. Basically I'm all part of this Immortal thing. She goes and snaps the link between her body and soul. I come along to make her immortal."

"Why?"

"Every one million years The Immortals pick a gal and a guy to become one of them. Immortal. This time they wanted a couple. They picked you two."

"Perfect."

"There's a catch though." The cat pointed at Maria "She's snapped her link. You haven't."

"Let me guess. You're gonna think of some way that'll snap mine in the most painful way possible. I'm not going through all this."

"You're forced to. It's either this or Maria."

"They've blackmailed us, Alex." Maria said glumly "You can't touch me. The second you do, it breaks. Living your life without me. How does that sound?"

For once emotion trickled across his face. "No…"

"Look honey," the cat muttered impatiently "You've got ten minutes to decide. Maria or not."

"This is out of order."

"Tell me about it." Maria gave a small smile. "It will hurt a little bit. That's what the sprite says. But think…immortal."

"I'll go through with it. I'm forced to."

"Great! Took you a while. I'll get out of here and wait in the hallway as a fly. Oh, before I go, you'll get a sprite too. I don't know who though. Well, good luck!" The cat had cheered up immensely.

The cat jumped off the sofa and flew away as a fly.

Alex looked at Maria doubtfully. "Why are we caught up in this?"

"According to that sprite thingy it was decided by these Immortal people yonks ago before we were even born. It's out of our control."

"Let's get it over and done with then."

"I want to touch you. But I can't. Not when I know by doing that I'm practically killing you."

"Just do it."

"You cry out or anything, I won't - "

"I'm not going to cry out or do anything."

"Okay."

Maria moved across the sofa and sat next to Alex. She closed her eyes and started breathing heavily. Thoughts rushed around her head but she barely had time to think them. Her arms lay limp beside her body, virtually lifeless and her heart dropped like a stone past her feet to the centre of the earth. Her eyes opened and they met with his. She blinked and looked away. Before Maria knew what she was doing, she placed her hand on his chest. Blue electric crackled out of her fingertips and she pulled her hand away quickly.

Taking another deep breath, Maria touched the same place again. As it sparked she almost stopped but gently he grabbed her wrist and twisted himself around to kiss her.

The result was simultaneous. Static shocked the air as blue electric bolts jumped between both bodies. Air was pushed around the room at a high speed, slamming the lounge door.

Kabbala waited outside on the wall, a fly, as promised. He smiled as much as a fly could when he saw the door slam. He glanced at the clock in kitchen: ten on the dot.

"There are moments like this that are meant to be romantic." He muttered to himself. "What ever happened to my love life? What's out there for a sprite?"

An explosion of white light erupted from under the door. Kabbala changed his form to a white panther and he pushed the door open with a large paw.

"What have you two done now?" the panther asked. They were lying together on the sofa. He tutted and raised his eyes to the sky. Alex rubbed his side and swore. "No need for that language. I did warn you."

They both sat up. "There's this hole in my side. Can't describe it, English is not my best subject. Whoa - "

His soul stretched out of his mouth. A surprised and transparent Alex stood in front of the sofa.

"I've wanted to test this," Maria mumbled. She opened her mouth and her soul came out. It reached out to touch the other soul and it travelled straight through. It laughed and went back to its body and the other followed suit.

"Quit mucking around. See? It doesn't hurt for too long. I wonder when your sprite turns up."

As if on cue, a slim woman walked into the room. Her long curly blonde hair was clipped back with a black rose, her wide blue eyes outlined thickly with liquid eyeliner and mascara with plush plum lips. She wore a tight dress of black silk that hung down to her feet, which were walking elegantly in high-heeled black sandals. Her arms were covered in black netting. Any skin that could be seen was a deathly white. She smiled encouragingly around at everyone.

"Hi," her voice was deep and rich "I'm Sulima."

**Chapter 9**

Kabbala was the first to break the icy silence. "You!" he glared at her "All the sprites in the world, and I get you."

Sulima narrowed her eyes at him. "You're not a great choice for me either!"

Maria looked at Alex for help. "Alright." He said, "What's happened?"

"I went out with this bitch once - "

"Don't you start on me!"

Maria groaned. "Shut up! Both of you! I don't care about any strange little sprite relationships. All I care about is you telling me how to get this Immortal stuff over and done with!"

The air was still whizzing around hers and Alex's head. It seemed to calm down at this point.

Sulima raised one perfect eyebrow. "You managed to get a tight one? My, it's been a while since they talked back. Dull footsteps thundered down the stairs.

"Shut up, she's fine. What's wrong with getting your point heard?"

"I wonder where you got that from?"

"Get out."

"I can't." Sulima smiled. "Once they're chosen with their sprites, that's it until they get up there. Surely you know that."

The rest looked away and sighed.

She invited herself to sit down on the sofa next to Maria. Sulima looked her straight in the eye.

Alex sighed. "If you're seriously gonna be my sprite or whatever, cut the mouthing off and just be yourself."

"Oh look. There goes the last one. I'm now in a pack of no-hopers."

"No, I mean it. Shut up, or I'll do it for you."

"Ooh, very commanding, I like that in a man - ""Get off. He's already got someone!" Maria turned beetroot red.

Kabbala spoke quietly. "Don't you remember? Teen couple?"

"Ah yes," Sulima chuckled "I forget myself. And other much less inanimate facts."

"How could you do all that to me? Made me happy, then bang, you're cheating."

"Get out of it. You were so wet and droopy. He gave me so much more."

"I've never cheated. And that's coming from someone who's had plenty of opportunities." Alex muttered.

"I hate players." Maria said angrily.

"Are you lot starting the 'I Hate Sulima Club'?"

"Yes!"

"Geez, I didn't make a good impression."

"Take of that slag outfit. You don't have to dress like you are inside."

"Fine." Sulima said moodily. She promptly changed into a black panther and sat down next to the white one, who looked away in disgust. Silence forced it's way to the lounge. Maria gave a small smile to Alex who smiled back. Kabbala and Sulima avoided each other's eyes, making it as obvious as possible. Sulima hummed a tune and Alex laid his hand on Maria's leg. Then the moment was completely broken.

"Alex," Sam began "You're still bloody talking to yourself. I just can't w – " She entered the lounge " – hy. I mean," she paused as all eyes swivelled on her. Alex removed his hand from her leg hastily. "Erm. What's Maria doing here, and why the hell is there panthers on the rug?"

"Sam." He smiled weakly "You're not going to believe a word of this."

"Try me. I know all of your crazy stories. What makes this one different?"

"I'll tell you later. Just tell me something first. Why are you wearing that pink dressing gown?"

"The other one's in the wash. Why won't you tell me?"

Maria was surprised by the way she handled the presence of the panthers. She'd expected her to jump on a chair and immediately scream. "This story's a little bit different." She told her "Remember the pregnant story? Imagine one that's a tonne worse with nothing to do with sex."

"Imagine," Alex put in "that it's just got everything to do with immortal freaks."

"They're not freaks." Kabbala defended "Don't insult the people you're about to become."

"I say what I want, got a problem with that?"

"Nope, I just get the blame for it all."

"You'll live."

"I've managed about 4 million years. I think they won't kill me just yet."

"Hello?" Sam waved "Haven't you got anything better to do than discuss God?"

"Oh, right, you're here."

"Yes I am. So what is it with these immortal dudes?"

"I thought you were meant to be smart. Nah, just figure it out for yourself. I really don't want to go into it all."

"Fine. But at least explain the panthers."

"Maria has very large pet cats that she bought along to meet you."

"You really think I'll fall for that crap?"

"No." he admitted. "I just don't like being given questions that are difficult to answer."

"Let me guess. You said something about God, so maybe he's summoned the Great Panthers and given them to you as a late birthday present?"

"Who said God was male? Your media really has made everyone think the same." Kabbala noted.

"Quit criticising the world."

"No seriously, humans are gonna die out in the next hundred years at this rate."

"How?"

"Pollution, nuclear wars, those US space programmes, UFOs, the list goes on."

"That's why I'm gonna do something with my life."

"Like what?"

"It's a secret." He smiled.

"Erm, hello? You're forgetting a certain someone again."

"Look, all it is that these gods and goddesses have come along. That's it, okay?"

"Then where are they?"

"Just around."

"Wow. My bro and his girl have gone mad."

"Sam…"

"I just don't get you. Why won't you tell me the truth?"

"I am!"

"Get it into your head. You're lying."

"He's being serious." Maria put in. "So am I."

"You've been messing me around all along. Lying all the time. You two being together is probably a great big fat lie too."

"Listen to us." Alex moaned, his patience wearing thin.

"No. I'm going straight up to Mum and telling her all the crazy stories she hasn't heard yet –"

"Sam!" he yelled. "Get a grip."

"Why won't you ever just say what's real?"

Without thinking, he brought his hand and pushed it straight in her face. Hard. She cried out and fell to the floor. A trickle of blood formed at the corner of her mouth. He had hit her.

"Alex." Maria gasped. "What have you done?"

He stared opened mouth at Sam as she began to cry. "I…don't…know…"

Maria sunk to the floor and hugged Sam. "It'll be alright, I swear, it'll all be fine…" she murmured.

Sulima and Kabbala absorbed them at a distance.

"Shouldn't we do something?" Kabbala asked.

"Maybe." She replied. "Did he knock out any of her teeth?"

"Not sure. I'd better clean her up."

He stood up and neatly transformed into a kindly looking nurse, complete with apron and stethoscope. A large bowl of water appeared out of nowhere and fell into the nurse's arms. She carried it over to Sam and placed it in front of her. Maria was still comforting her as best as she could while Alex stood overhead awkwardly surveying the scene, muttering, "I'm so, so, sorry, Sam, I didn't know, I'm so sorry…" She sobbed in Maria's arms.

"Right then," the nurse began. "I want you spit in that bowl as much as you can." Sam obeyed and red liquid dissolved like a red cloud of hell in the water as she spat. Maria ended her comfort hug abruptly.

"You'll need some ice on that cheek. It's swelling. Anyway, rinse your mouth out with this (a plastic cup appeared in Sam's hands). I know it tastes bad but just stick it, okay?" She nodded obediently and spat the green mouthwash into the bowl where it mingled with her blood. Sulima looked pointedly away.

"Good girl," the nurse said encouragingly. "Now – urgh." Sam spluttered and two small whitish lumps splashed into the basin, also covered in blood.

"Can you give me a smile? She concluded, weakly. It grew on Sam's face, and on the left a show of pink gum was displayed.

Maria swore. "You took out some of _teeth_."

"Okay then," the nurse said, baffled. "Chew on this for a while." A bandage of tissue appeared in Sam's mouth. "It'll stop the bleeding. Your hamster cheek should go down in a few days."

The tub of dirty water disappeared leaving two neat teeth on the living room carpet. The nurse studied them with interest. "You're so lucky. Those are baby teeth. And, if I'm reading them correctly, they were both due out in two months anyway." The nurse looked up at Alex. "That doesn't make it any better."

"You've got some explaining." Sulima mocked.

"You idiot!" Maria shouted. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Calm it." He muttered. "It's done now; I can't take I back."

Sam looked at them both wide eyed. "Leave it," she said muffled by the tissue. "I was asking for it anyway."

"What?" Maria asked sharply.

"Don't bother fighting. I just want one thing right now."

"I don't need to read minds to know this one." He sat down next to Sam. "I'm so sorry." He hugged her tight. I don't know what came over me."

"It's okay. Maybe it's knocked some sense into me."

"Maybe." He closed his eyes and took in the small bony body clasped in his arms. Without knowing what he was doing, he was pushed a sudden newly found warmness into her.

"Alex…" Sam began.

"Not just now." He whispered.

"My teeth. They're growing back!"

"How about that?" He smiled.

"Why have I got this feeling that you know exactly what you're doing, but I don't?"

"It's just part of the panther-God thing."

The nurse nudged Maria. "See? Snap your link and you get powers. What you're watching right now is magic at work. Healing."

She nodded, dumbfounded, unable to reply.

He spoke quietly so only she could hear. "Oh, the hamster cheek's gone. I thought that was an improvement to her face."

Maria looked at him frowning. He smiled back; as if 'it's a joke' was illuminated above his head.

Sam and Alex broke up and she spat the tissue out of her mouth. "My teeth…the baby teeth just look like they fell out and now the adult teeth are there. And they're fully-grown."

She looked at her brother quizzically. "What did you do?"

"I'm not sure. I just know it's something to do with The Immortals."

Sulima spoke for the first time in a while. "Congratulations. You've now figured out that you've kissed goodbye to ever living a normal life again."

"Hey," the nurse said as it crouched down back into the white panther. "Just remember you can't freak out and decide that you'll just give p on this. It's a one-way trip. No back pedalling, or whatever you want to call it."

"What's this about leaving normal life?" Sam asked.

"Very complicated." Sulima started. "Very strange. Most probably very stupid."

"Where to begin…?" Maria wondered.

"I'd better not have to explain things. I've done it twice already and that's twice too much for one day."

"I'd better do this. I did hit her over it."

"Stop right there." The white panther retracted its claws. Sulima flinched as the carpet began to rip. "Strict secret. By telling it you're giving away Gods and Goddesses, life and death and plating correct ideas about the meaning of life."

"For fucks sake, she's my sister. She's not about to blab to the press or tell her friends. And anyway," He looked up at Maria and smiled slightly, "She's kept our secret pretty well."

"Does it matter about some little secret about you two being stupid enough to not use birth control? Not particularly. But it affects the whole world if this is let out."

"God!" Sam muttered. "Tell me already."

**To be continued…**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"The results for the food testing were very negative. I found that ALL the four different types of food were fatty and unhealthy – even a raw carrot stick had 0.2 grams of fat." Maria paused, convinced she had missed something out of her science homework. What was it again? She thought, yes, that's right - write one paragraph explaining the scientific experiment done in class today. She took up her pen and tried again. "The results of the science experiment completed in class today are very varied and need to either be done again or averaged. We were trying to discover which food has the most fat out of raw carrot sticks, celery, cress, and boiled baby potatoes. The baby potatoes had most fat at 1.2 grams per potato and the celery came in second with 0.8. The cress was hard to test but still seems to be third, and fourth (being most healthy) is the raw carrot sticks with a tiny 0.2." That'll do, she thought, I've got more important things to sort out anyway.

So she shoved her exercise book into her school bag and decided what was the next best thing to. One thing stuck in her mind the most. Two words flashed inside her mind like luminous signs you see in those films about Las Vegas. Only those signs said 'Lodge Here' or 'Big Money'. The sign inside her head said 'EMAIL BOYFRIEND'. She smiled cheekily. She should do her homework. She knew she should. And that paragraph for her science was crap. She also knew that if she put her mind to it, she could come up with a very detailed paragraph. Then Maria remembered something she had read in a book. It was simple but it held such a strong message that she had hung onto it with a tenacious grip. All it had said was, 'Stick to what you're good at but have some fun time. In other words, who gives a shit about all that crap school gives you. Live your life to the full – do what you want to do, be who you want to be. Break a few rules if you need to. Rules were made for breaking – they stop you having fun.' She lived by that ever since she started secondary school. And it had done her good. It was worth all those detentions just for that suspense before you did something you know you shouldn't.

Instead of doing her homework like a good little girl she got up from the kitchen table and made for the door.

"Finished already pet?" asked her Dad.

"Yes," she lied "It was very easy."

"Good, good. Wait a minute, I just want to tell you something, Maria."

"Yes Dad?" she said innocently

"You've got so much going for you. Don't waste it." Maria looked away uncomfortably. "Will you promise me to do your best at school?"

"Dad! You make me feel about five!" she joked

"Still," her Dad continued, "You do promise me don't you?"

"Yes Dad. Of course!" Maria sweetly smiled.

"Good, good." He repeated, "Run along now."

Maria pegged it out of the kitchen and dropped her bag on the hall floor. "Lying is so easy!" she muttered. She went to the lounge to go to the computer. Her little brother was sitting there, playing on his stupid 'Count the Cats' game.

"One . . . ermm . . .. two . . four . . . six . . . .nine! Nine cats! Is that right Maria?" Queried her little brother.

"Yes, I think so." She answered

"Are you sure?"

"Yes"

"If you're wrong, one of the cats loses its bow tie. You only get three bow ties!"

"Yes I'm sure. No wait! It's err ...six! That's right! Click on six!"

Her brother did so and a ginger cat ran to the front of the screen. Some sad music played in the background and the cartoon cat said in a jolly voice "I'm sorry little 'un! Look! There are _five_ cats. One, two, three, four, five! But it's all right! You can have another go! But I'm sorry to say, you've lost one bow tie!" Another cat ran forward and the ginger one took off its bow tie. Then the screen went back to the counting game.

"Hey! You lied!" shouted her brother

"I'm sorry," she smiled sweetly "I just must have counted wrong. We all make mistakes every now and then."

"No! You knew it was wrong!" he screamed

"Billy! Quit that shouting! Go to your room!" yelled her Mum from somewhere upstairs

He sulkily walked to the door. As he got there he turned around and glared at Maria. "Hate you." He whispered

"Well," she quietly called after him, " I hate you too." They glared at each other for a minute or so then he left the room, dragging his feet.

Maria felt bad for moment. She didn't really like doing that. But it got her the computer didn't it? Any traces of guilt washed away instantly. She closed the cat game and clicked on the best icon in the whole computer - the internet explorer. She went to email and went to her inbox. About ten messages had arrived. She looked at who they were from. "Let's see," she whispered "Kelly, Christine, Steph, Rose, please say he's emailed me, please say Alex has emailed me!" She arrived at the last message received. It flashed Alex and was in bold red. "Urgent. What's so urgent?" she muttered. She then knew why. Hey, he wrote, it's me. Sorry, I haven't emailed you for a while, I haven't gone off you, not one bit, you're so hot! Anyway, I just got to know, are you free this Saturday night? Please email back, love you forever, Alex. Maria's hands were shaking. She was used to him flirting it was just the 'are you free on Saturday night' bit that made her scared. She looked when he had sent the email. The words, 3/9/06 21:06 came up. That was only two or three minutes ago. She quickly clicked the reply button. Hi, she began, yes, I'm free this Saturday night. Why do you want to know? I'm right bored here. Then she clicked send. What she had really wanted to ask is are you asking me out on a date? Still, she didn't, she couldn't be that direct in this relationship. Seconds later came a pop up saying new message received. She clicked read. It was Alex. 'Good, it's just, I've heard about this new movie and I thought it would be nice to go with you.' Her hands grabbed for the mouse, frantically clicking reply. Seconds later she had typed up a message. 'Wow, I so wanna go. Tell me what movie it is, that sort of crap!' He replied almost as instantly as Maria. 'It's that new horror one out. You know, it's called 'I slept with a corpse, now it won't leave me'. It's an eighteen but I'm kinda tall and you must have some heels somewhere. It starts at 9pm. Can you come?' 'Yes!' she replied 'Of course I'll come. I love a good horror. It'll be tricky getting round my parents, but can't I just say I've got a sleepover with my mates and stay with you?'. The pop up came up again. 'Sure. My parents are away for the weekend to France and they'll come back on Sunday night. We'll have the whole house to ourselves.' Reply she clicked. 'Shall I get the bus over to your place or what?' 'No,' Alex answered 'That's wrong, I'll pick you up.' 'Ok. Are you sure?' she replied. 'I'm sure.' He said 'I've got a new car now. The old one broke down a few days ago and it'll be more expensive to fix it then to get a new one. I talked to my parents about it and they gave in. It'll come tomorrow. We'll be the hottest date there!' Maria clicked reply 'Other people are going? Won't they notice our age?' 'They might but isn't it dark in the cinema?' he replied. 'Yes, I guess so.' She answered 'I love you so much.' Alex replied. Maria blushed a deep crimson. 'I love you too.' She wrote, changing the text colour to pink. 'I've got to go now.' He replied 'Ok' Maria said. 'Love you.' He said. It was almost as if he was right next to her. 'Love you too. x x x' she wrote. 'I'll phone you tomorrow ok?' Alex replied. 'Sure.' She said 'Bye.' 'Bye.' And then he went. Maria swivelled around on the chair feeling giddy. "I'm going on a date with Alex!" she whispered.

She shoved the grey office chair into the computer desk, and floated into the hallway and up the stairs. She was happy enough to even go into Billy's room. Maria didn't knock. She bounced in. Billy opened his mouth to shout but she stopped him.

"Geroff!" he yelled, muffled.

"Nope!" she smiled and tickled him. Maria didn't stop smiling even when his clumpy school shoes started kicking. She grabbed them and Billy got up off the floor, Lego scattered around him. In a flash, Maria grabbed a toy dog and made him walk on the carpet.

"Hello!" she said in a squeaky voice, pretending to be the dog. "Your big sister has told me to tell you she's sorry for getting you into trouble. She's got you something too, but she won't say what it is!"

He giggled. "Why are you being so nice?"

Because of Alex, Maria thought. "Why not?" she replied though, changing back to her normal voice. "Here you go." She tossed him a chocolate bar from out her pocket. "Mum says you can't have many sweets a day. I say, so what?"

Billy looked at her, gawping.

"Look dude, just eat it and don't mention it to Mum and Dad. My treat, eh?"

He nodded, still amazed. "Why are you being so nice?" he repeated.

"Tomorrow I'll be extra nasty." She said baring her teeth. He giggled, unsure. She smiled. "Bye bro!" and bounced back out the room.

"Mum!" she called. "Can I have the bathroom?"

"Sure hun!" she replied, somewhere near.

Maria turned on the shower and took off her clothes and stepped in. The water was warm and bubbly, tumbling over her shoulders. She hummed a bit, her mind blank. Suddenly a certain somebody invaded it. Maria shut off the shower quickly. I've known him for a week and I'm already thinking about things, thought Maria.

She got out the shower and thought about an early night. But beds were just as bad. She banged her head with her fist. Stop fucking thinking about sex! she screamed at herself. She shoved her body into a nighty. She wanted to keep her mind busy. So she crept downstairs.

"Can I call Rose?" she asked her Dad.

"Of course."

Maria grabbed the phone and went back to her bedroom. But she didn't push Rose's number. She dialled Alex. The phone rang on the other end 3 times, 4, 5, she was about to hang up, when someone answered.

"Hello?" they asked

"Hi."

"Who's this?"

"Maria. Erm, is Alex there?"

"We don't have an Alex here."

"Oops. Sorry. Wrong number."

Maria hung up.

That was the right number! She tried again. This time the phone was picked up straight away.

"Hey." Said someone. That voice was a tonne more familiar.

"Hi it's Maria."

"Did you just call a minute ago?

"Yeah. Some weirdo said it was the wrong number."

"That would be my little sister." Alex's voice went quieter, his mouth away from the phone. "I am so going to kill you." He muttered. A girl giggled in an incredibly high-pitched voice.

"That sounds like what my little brother would do. I'll murder him one day."

"Try having a sister. Twice as bad."

"Is it still ok for me to come round?"

"Yes. The brat back here's going to a giggly sleepover. We'll definitely be on our own."

"Thank God. Imagine having your sister running around until 2am."

"I know." He sighed.

"Family life getting you down?"

"Sometimes. Than I think of you and it all goes away."

Maria turned ruby red. "That happens to me too." She said finally.

"How's school?"

"Crap. As always."

"Sometimes I can't take it all. I bunk downtown with my mates. When I get my school report, attendance will probably be about 22."

"I've seen people do that at my school. They're always that much stricter at grammar schools. I should have pulled a sicky on my 11+ day."

"You could have come to my school. Mind, all the girls are slag's here."

"It wouldn't have mattered. I've always preferred boys to girls. At Juniors I was just a tomboy. All the girls were all wiggly and giggly. I hated them."

"That sounds like what boys would say."

"Great. I'm an un-official He-She." Maria giggled.

"Not like tat." He laughed

"Your sis still there?"

"Yeah. She's just colouring in some colouring book."

"How come little squirts never have a life?

"Beats me. They never really think about I , I suppose."

"I guess."

"Maria," she heard him swallow at the other end. "You know I love you, don't you?"

"Course. I love you too."

"You don't sound very sure."

"Oh Alex. How am I meant to use 3 little words? They're just not enough."

"There is one way."

"I figured that out. I could always show you."


End file.
